Early Mornings, Late Nights
by Jamien Grey
Summary: AU Modern Hyrule, TP world, pairings LinkxSheik and DarkxGanon. Following their trials and jubilations. [On hiatus until further notice.]
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **Cleaning up a bit, so I figured I'd put a mass disclaimer in the beginning, covering the whole story. I own nothing but the plot, and I don't profit from this in any way. All characters, places names, and various words regarding the Zelda series belong to Nintendo, I'm simply using them for fun. Enjoy!

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><p><strong><span>~Chapter One~<span>**

Link stepped out the door of his apartment and leaned on the railing overlooking the town. Down below clusters of other students scurried through the streets, most heading up the path towards the school. Taking a glance at the sun peaking over the canyon wall, he figured he should get a move on or he'd be late for work. He turned around and locked the door to his apartment before making his way down the cliff side via the system of spiral staircases. Kakariko was built in a canyon at the base of a mountain, so all the buildings backed up into the cliffs and clung high up on the walls, and the only way to navigate between them was to climb the ladders and stair cases (spiral to save space). Because it was so close to Death Mountain University, Kakariko was synonymous with students and the small cramped apartments they lived in. Link's was at the north end of the town, one of the highest up and closest to the road leading up to the mountain school. He used to simply jump over the railing and swing to the ground as quickly as possible, but that seemed to upset the local authorities and they'd put a stop to it.

So now he made the tedious way to ground level, where his job waited for him. He worked in the local explosives shop, Barnes Bombs, part time to pay for his school. Barnes himself was a neurotic timid man who rarely took on extra help for fear an employee would blow up his shop, but Link had been able to convince him to hire him on and was extremely grateful for the work. Classes at the university weren't terribly expensive, but every little bit helped.

The metal floor clanked as he ran into the shop, already knowing he was late. Not by much, but his meandering thoughts had distracted him again. Barnes poked his head up from his tinkering when Link entered and pointed out the small discrepancy in time. "You've been late a lot recently. What's up with you kid?"

"Sorry, I've just been distracted. It wont happen again," Link reassured with a smile.

Barnes eyed him with a bit of skepticism for a moment, then nodded. "Alright then. I need you to organize the store room today. I spent almost an hour earlier looking for a barrel of gunpowder. Damn things a complete mess," he grumbled, turning his head back to his work.

Link simply nodded and climbed the stairs to get to work.

His shift ended just as the sun disappeared behind the canyon walls. It wasn't yet five in the afternoon, but with the sun in hiding dimness fell and the street lights slowly flickered on as he trudged home. Some days he would try to race them home if he got off early enough, but today Barnes had him stay a little later to make up for being late.

He tiredly tugged himself up the last few steps of the stairs leading towards his home. Why did he always end up living somewhere he had to climb to get to, he wondered exhaustedly to himself. He was just putting the key in the lock to open his front door when the door to his left suddenly opened and his neighbor stepped out.

"Hey Sheik," Link called, smiling.

"Evening," he called back. Sheik finished shoving his house keys into his pockets and lit up a cigarette before turning to address Link face on. "You're filthy," he stated, grinning.

Link rolled his eyes and wiped at his face. "I've been working all day." He then eyed Sheik attire critically. The boy was always wearing something different, particularly in the hat area, and today was no different. "New hat," he asked.

Sheik patted his head proudly. "Yep, its called a rasta hat. Hey, you want come out with me? I was going to grab a drink with some friends down at Bomskitz."

Link thought about it for a moment. Tomorrow was his day off from work, and he didn't have any classes, so he agreed. "Sure, I can afford to be hung over tomorrow," he laughed. "Just give me a few minutes to get cleaned up." He went inside and Sheik trailed after, flopping down in the chair by the door. The apartment was very small, barely bigger than a studio, so the entry way, living room, and kitchen all rolled into each other. Link disappeared into the bathroom and washed up before changing out of his dirty work clothes into something slightly more stylish. He chose a pair of dark blue jeans and a forest green t-shirt with a white flock of birds across the front.

Figuring he looked okay he popped back out into the living room to find Sheik leaning backwards in one of his kitchen chairs, neck craned back at an awkward angle to look at him. He flipped around and hopped to his feet, running a hand through his shaggy bangs to get them to fall back over the one eye. "You ready," he asked chipperly.

Link nodded and they set out. Bomskitz was on the other end of the town from their apartments, built into a large cavern next to the towns local spring. It seemed an odd place for a bar, but the acoustics were amazing, and local bands played there on the weekends. They arrived quickly though and Sheik looked around. "I don't think they're here yet," he said, referring to the people he was meeting.

"Well, lets get a table then," Link suggested, immediately going to his favourite table directly in front of the stage. "This okay," he asked Sheik.

"Perfect," he said, taking the chair facing the door. "I don't think there are any bands playing tonight though," he contemplated, looking around.

"Not tonight," Link said, taking the seat to his left. "They only have live music on the weekends. Who are you supposed to be meeting anyway?"

"Oh, just a few friends." He glanced at Link mischievously. "You actually know one of them."

Link frowned, but before he could ask who, he saw a cluster of people enter the bar, a figure dressed in black at the front. "What the hell? Did you plan this," he snapped at Sheik, anger flaring briefly. He didn't like when people interfered in his personal matters.

Sheik's one visible eye widened innocently. "Not at all, I just thought it'd be interesting." Link huffed and sat back in the chair, crossing his arms defensively. Sheik grinned at his behavior. "Lets just get a few drinks in you and you'll be fine."

The group looked around then spotted Sheik and made their way to the table. When they got closed Link found he only recognized two of them. One was another boy in his history class, and the other... Well the other he hadn't spoken with in weeks. Link deliberately ignored him as Sheik introduced everyone. "Guys, this is my friend Link. I bumped into him on my way out and dragged him along. Link these are Shad, Ashei, Hena, and this guy, who you already know," he finished, gesturing haphazardly at the group.

Tension filled the air as the four newcomers took their seats. Sheik ignored the trade of emotion going on and struck up a conversation with the other three. In the mean time Link had a stare down with the source of his agitation, a young man with features eerily similar to his own, only darker, with eyes as red as jewels. "Long time no see, Dark," he finally said, smiling tightly.

Dark's face broke into a large grin. "So you're talking to me again, huh?"

Link scoffed, "Oh shove it," he snapped, then smiled. Dark's grin was contagious, and he never really could stay mad at his brother for long, at least not if they were in the same room. "How've you been anyways? Still with that guy?"

Dark leaned back in his seat and ran a thumb along his jawline. " 'That guy' huh? So what, you're over that now?"

Link shrugged. "It was just one guy, and we were breaking up anyway. If you had asked beforehand I wouldn't have been upset." Dark smirked as if to say 'yeah right'. "Okay, I would have been upset, but not as much, and not at you. Just ask in future."

Dark laughed. "Alright, I'll just let you know next time I want to sleep with someone you're dating."

Link shook his head but smiled, knowing he was joking. And in a completely inobvious way the two brothers made up. Then they looked around to find the rest of the table looking at them. Sheik had the same mischievous smile on and Link arched an eyebrow at him. "Liar."

He simply grinned back, then the drinks arrived (the waitress apologizing for the wait, something about a broken bottle), and Sheik breathed a sigh of relief. He had been friends with both Link and Dark for some time now and knew Dark was beginning to get upset with Link ignoring him. So of course he had planned the encounter, not that he'd admit it. But with the drinks properly dispersed the mood lifted and the group talked and joked as music played loudly over the sound system.

He jerked awake suddenly, woken by the flash of a bird flying past his window disturbing the high noon sun, then instantly regretted the sudden movement when it felt like a fire was burning inside his skull. He groaned and pulled the blanket over his face and willed the pain away. There was no such luck though because a heartbeat later there was a knock on his door.

With a frustrated growl he eased out of bed and made for the door while tugging his blanket tighter. He pulled the door open a crack and squinted out into bright light. "What," he grumbled.

Sheik cocked his head to the side and smiled at the ruffled, hung over young man. "My, you don't handle your liquor well, do you?" He pushed his way inside and dropped onto his couch.

Link sighed and closed the door, shuffling into the kitchen. He didn't drink coffee, but he felt terribly dehydrated, so he grabbed a bottled of water and chugged it quickly as he looked for a bottle of red-pills. He wandered back out into the living room as he popped a few. "Life savers, these are," he mumbled. They were little pills filled with drops of red potion. Not any good for bad injuries, but they were wonderful for getting rid of headaches. "Why are you here this early anyway?"

Sheik laughed. "It's almost noon. But I'm here to torture you with loud noises until you recover." Link rolled his eyes, but Sheik continued. "I actually came to drag you off to Lake Hylia. We're going for a day trip. And no, you don't really have a choice," he finished, grinning.

Link sighed and shuffled off to the bathroom, grumbling something about taking a shower.


	2. Chapter 2

**~Chapter Two~**

His pencil tapped out an atonal beat against his notebook as the teacher rambled on. He'd been going on for about a half hour now about something completely unrelated to the day's subject, but everyone was used to him doing that by now, and Link had learned to just zone out. The class was almost over anyway and he didn't think Professor Auru would get back on subject in that time. So he sighed an ran a hand through a his hair, waiting for the cue to leave.

Slowly he closed his eyes and let his mind wander, and it wasn't long before it turned to a few days earlier, remembering the lake trip. _Lake Hylia gleamed in the afternoon sun, dazzlingly bright on this cloudless day. Zora Village stood on the lake side, a strip of festively colored buildings lining the boardwalk. The small group set up their picnic area on a small chunk of land branching off from the village, in a spot that could catch the sun later in the evening. Shad wandered off and quickly busied himself with the nearby tides pools, and Link smiled as Hena wandered after him. The studious boy was completely unaware of her affection for him. Dark and Ashei were arguing about who could dive deeper and were in the process of stripping down to their bathing suits and throwing rupees into the water to retrieve. Link was staring up at the bridge far above their heads when something suddenly hit him in the face. He jumped and looked down at the white pageboy on the ground that had assaulted him, then looked up to find Sheik snickering at him. ""'You're easily distracted' he pointed out with a laugh, then pulled his shirt off. Link froze and couldn't help but stare a bit while he took his shoes off. Sheik was all lean muscles and sharp lines, thin but strong shoulders. He had a tattoo on his left pec, about the size of his palm, of a red eye of truth. Sheik glanced over at him then, and Link looked away with a blush, but not before catching the small smile on Sheik's lips._

"Oh, well look at the time,"Auru finally said when he noticed people beginning to pack up, jerking Link out of his reprieve. "Alight, so next week we'll be moving on to the development of ancient Goron society. Everyone should try to be in class that day," Auru called out to the class as they hurriedly made for the door. But before Link could disappear Auru stopped him. "And Link, in future if you're going to daydream, at least look forward and pretend to pay attention." He took the edge off by smiling, but Link still blushed furiously as he nodded and quickly escaped the room.

Once outside in the center courtyard he frowned and looked up at the sky. It was clouding over in a grey sheet and there had been a significant drop in temperature from that morning. "Bit early for this kind of weather, isn't it," someone observed behind him. He turned to find Shad was the culprit, balancing a pile of books in his arms. "My back pack broke," he explained, turning to show link the ripped out bottom on a thoroughly worn out bag.

"I was thinking the same thing," Link replied, taking a few books off the pile to ease the burden. It was still early September, and the weather on Death Mountain normally stayed mild and sunny until at least the end of this month. "I kind of wish I had brought a jacket."

Shad smiled but before he could say anything Sheik seemingly appeared among them, patting his pockets down. "I'm always loosing stuff," he complained. "And you two are wimps, it's not that cold. Aha, found it," he exclaimed, producing a slightly crushed pack of cigarettes.

"Maybe you're just not cold because you have bad circulation," Shad frowned at him. Sheik simply rolled his eyes and lit up, protecting his lighter's small flame with a cupped hand.

Shad glanced at Link as if for back up, but he only shrugged. "Don't look at me, I used to smoke, the only reason I don't anymore if because I can't afford it. Plus, Barnes would probably fire me if he thought I carried anything flammable."

"Ha ha," Sheik said, poking Shad in the side as he offered Link a drag.

Link took the cigarette and the three were bickering amongst themselves when a familiar dark figure sauntered up to them. "Link, smoking? Again? Such a nasty habit," Dark chastised, snatching it away from Link again. But instead of snuffing it out under his boot, he took a long drag and handed it back to Sheik. "You're poisoning my baby brother with bad habits," he joked.

Link scoffed, "We're twins, moron. Being born last doesn't make me the baby."

"Moron?" Dark gasped, feigning offense.

"You're all morons. Smoking is a terrible thing to do," Shad interrupted.

They all laughed and bickered for a few more minutes before Link thought of something, "Wait wait. Why are you even here," he asked Dark. Dark owned and operated the local potions shop and didn't go to the university.

"Mm, oh yeah, that's what I'm forgetting. There's some guy down at the bomb store. Not a customer though, Barnes was all buddy buddy with him. I thought you might want to know."

Link gave him a confused smile. "It doesn't sound like something I should be worried about. I don't even work today."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. It might be his son," Shad speculated.

Link frowned. "And? It still doesn't sound like anything to be bothered by."

"Well, his son is kind of an ass. But other than that I suppose he might take your job. Barnes would do something like that," Sheik explain as he dropped the end of his cigarette and stamped it out.

Eyes widening in worry, Link stammered, "Wh-what? You really think Barnes would do that to me?"

"It's possible, if his son needs a job he might. Hopefully not though," Dark said. "I've never actually met him before. What's he like," he asked Sheik.

"Well when we were kids he was mean, a bully I guess. It's been years since I've actually seen him though. He's been living out in Gerudo with his mother I think. You know Link, it really wouldn't surprise me if he took your job." Sheik gave him an apologetic look and crossed his arms.

"Damn it," Link breathed as he shoved Shad's books back into his arms and turned to leave.

Dark rolled his eyes and shot Shad and Sheik an scathing look. "Good job sugar coating it guys," he said and turned to run after Link.

Dark caught up with him as he made it to the edge of the campus and started down the mountain. They walked in silence until they made it into Kakariko and Dark veered off towards his shop. "Come by later and tell me how it goes," he called with a wave.

Link waved back absentmindedly and made his way down to where he hoped he still had a job. If Barnes really fired him he didn't know what he'd do. He had a reduced tuition at the school, but if he lost his job it wouldn't matter how affordable it was. He'd loose his apartment too. Dismayed, he dragged himself up the steps and quietly entered the shop, walking lightly so he didn't make any noise on the metal floor. He could hear voices coming from upstairs, chatting amiably. They stopped suddenly though when Link closed the door, the quiet click echoing through the walls. Barnes head appeared over the railing then to see who the intruder was. "Oh, Link. You're not supposed to work today. What's going on kid?" His tone was kind enough, but Link could hear disquiet undertones in the words, already suspicious.

"Dark was saying he saw someone strange come by. I thought I'd stop in to see if everythings alright," he explained, craning his neck back to look up at his boss.

"Oh, well, come on up here then," he said, slightly hesitant.

Link climbed the curved stairs quickly, mentally preparing himself for anything that could happen. But he was still shocked when reached the top and saw the young man who could only be Barnes' son. He was tall, taller than both Link and Barnes, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His skin was a deep shade of tan olive, offsetting the flaming red mop of hair and sharp golden eyes. "Link," Barnes began, "this is my son, Ganondorf."

The boy flashed a wicked smile. "Call me Ganon."


	3. Chapter 3

**~Chapter Three~**

After all the introductions had been taken care of, Link, Barnes, and Ganon all took a seat around Barnes makeshift kitchen table. He lived in the small space above his shop, among crates and barrels full of supplies for making his explosives. After that an awkward silence fell, mostly between Link and Barnes, Ganon sitting as far off to the side as he could get without leaving the table. He sat with his arms crossed, one hand lifted to tap a finger against his lips expectantly. Link shuffled and fidgeted quietly, while Barnes glanced around, trying to avoid eye contact with either of them. After a few moments like this, Barnes finally sighed loudly and looked over at Link. "You've already figured it out, haven't you?"

Link tried to smile, but it came out more as a grimace. "You're firing me, right?"

Barnes winced. "It's not you Link, you've done good. It's just, well, it's my kid," he finished lamely, gesturing wildly at Ganon, who simply looked at Link and raised an eyebrow. "He's my son, he's going to school, he needs a job. I feel like shit about this Link, but what am I to do? Not to mention his mother would kill me if I didn't hire him. I just can't afford two employees. If I could I would keep you on too. But I can't..." His explanation trailed off as he waited for Link's reaction.

Link opened his mouth, then thought, closed it again and frowned. He took a moment and collected himself, then coughed and nodded. "Yeah, I get it. I have to go though, see you around," he said quickly, then pushed himself up from the table and practically dashed for the door. He had to resist the urge to slam the door on his way out.

He stormed down the street, hands shoved deep into his pockets, silently fuming to himself. He understood it just fine, but getting fired sucked, and he didn't have to be happy about it. And he most certainly wasn't. So he made his way home, completely forgetting to stop by Dark's place on the way, determined to get home before he exploded.

When he finally made it to his level, he found Sheik perched on the railing in between their apartments, fiddling with his phone. Link scowled and brushed past him to try and get inside before the thinner blonde noticed him. He had unfortunate luck though.

"So, it didn't go well, huh," Sheik asked.

Link sighed exasperatedly and dropped his forehead against the door. "No," he said simply and opened the door. Sheik slipped inside before he could close it behind him though. "Sheik, I'm not in the mood," he groaned.

He continued inside though, ignoring Link's mood and dropping his hat on the kitchen table. Today it was a cliche black beret. "No? Even if I come bearing gifts," he asked, somehow producing a large bottle of clear liquid and two shot glasses. The bottle had a vibrant picture of a leever on the front, and Link rolled his eyes.

"You came to get me drunk," he said, laughing a little.

Sheik grinned. "Come on, it'll take your mind of off things."

Link thought about it for a moment, then scowled when the only reason he found not to was that he was supposed to work tomorrow. "Well my only excuse just went out the window," he said sarcastically as he dropped his book bag by the door. "Pour me one."

An hour later he was five shots in and already feeling heady as he slammed down the glass on his sixth. He was sitting on the floor against the couch, in between it and the coffee table, with Sheik sprawled out on the couch behind him. He was already well on his way to being smashed, about three shots ahead of Link. "You gotta get caught up," he laughed as he leaned over and filled both the tiny glasses again, without spilling a drop.

"Should I worry that you're so good at this you never spill?" Link asked, lifting one of the little cups and eyeing it before tipping it back quickly.

"I'm just that good," Sheik joked. "Do the other one," he insisted then.

Link obeyed and downed the second one, gagging at the end. "Awful," he mumbled.

"It's not the flavor, darling, its the effect," Sheik said, slipping onto the ground next to him.

Link looked over at him, surprised to find Sheik's normally alert eyes clouded by those effects. "You're drunk."

He laughed but it came out as a snort. "So are you," he teased, filling the glasses again.

Another three shots in, Link had his head leaned back against the couch, thoroughly intoxicated. "I've spilled," Sheik said suddenly, startling Link back into an upright position. When he finally focused he saw Sheik putting the cap back on the now nearly empty bottle. "I stop when I spill," he explained, words slightly drawn out.

Link gave him a momentarily confused look, then noticed the tiny puddles around the final two shots and nodded. "So you're messed up then," he gathered, taking his glass.

"Mm hmm," and a small clink was his reply. Link threw back the last bit of liquid and stacked his glass inside of Sheik's empty one. They sat in silence for a few moments, both a little out of sorts, before Link stood and stumbled around the room until he came to his stereo and turned it on. Then he took his seat on the floor next to Sheik again, both listening to the beats.

Link had his eyes closed, loosing focus again through a combination of alcohol and music, when he heard a small shuffling noise, then something pressed lightly against his lips. For a moment he didn't do anything, his reaction time slowed down. But then he gasped and jerked his back, opening his eyes to stare directly into Sheik's ruby reds. Mild confusion registered at the back of his mind, but it was quickly dispelled when Sheik slowly leaned back in and kissed him again. Link simply stopped thinking.

Sheik deepened the kiss, moving his body closer and adding more force. Link felt his tongue against his lips and opened to the touch instinctively. Sheik pushed even closer then, partially straddling Links hips, thoroughly exploring his mouth with his own. Link eventually had to come up for air, breaking the kiss with a shaky gasp. But Sheik simply continued, moving down to his throat, eliciting a small gasp from the boy beneath him. His hand wandered over Link's chest, trailing down to his stomach, until he came to the hem of the deep green t-shirt, slipping inside and trailing over his bare stomach. His hands began to move upward, into more sensitive areas, but he stopped when there was a strong knock on the door. The two froze, both panting heavily, and listened.

The knock came again, more insistent. Sheik sighed heavily, frustrated, and moved away so Link could answer the door. So he stood, wobbled for a moment, then reluctantly went to see who it was. He glanced through the peep hole and frowned as he opened the door on his brother. "What's up Dark," he said, leaning against the door frame and grinning like an idiot at getting caught drunk.

Dark frowned and pushed past him inside. "You never stopped by earlier. I was just wondering what's going on. Though I see Sheik has been taking care of things," he explained, examining the nearly empty bottle of alcohol, failing to notice the look that passed between Sheik and Link, or his brother's bright blush. "So I take it things didn't go well?"

Link huffed and sat down on the sofa. "Nope, got fired."

Dark took the center cushion in between Link and Sheik, who was still sitting on the floor. "What was his kid like?"

Link thought back, fighting through then drunken fog. "He didn't say much. Seemed kind of cocky."

Sheik nodded. "Sounds like him," he said, then pushed himself to his feat. "I'm gonna go now. Getting tired." He grabbed his bottle and glasses and made for the door, yawning loudly. Link jumped up and went after him, catching him as he was walking out. But when he got to him he fell silent, unsure what to say. Sheik smiled though. "I'll talk to you tomorrow," he said quietly.

Link nodded and watched him go, then closed the door behind him. When he turned around Dark had taken over the couch and was flipping through songs on the stereo with the remote. "I'm staying here tonight," he said, not even bothering to make it a request.

"Why exactly," Link asked, exhaustion suddenly setting in.

"Because you're a light weight, and I'm worried you'll throw up in your sleep."

Link simply yawned and retrieved a blanket from the linen cupboard for him before heading off to his own bed. Dark's prediction wasn't entirely inaccurate though. Sometime in the still dim hours of the morning Link woke up and made a mad dash for the bathroom, barley making it to the toilet before he vomited. Dark was woken up by the sudden commotion and stood in the door way, amusement clearing away any concern. "Ready to swear off alcohol now?"

Once he was sure his stomach was empty he stood, legs turned to jelly, and went to brush his teeth. "At least for the near future," he replied.

Dark nodded. "Well I'm going back to sleep. You going to be alright?"

"Mm hmm," he said through the toothpaste, then spit. "I probably wont go back to bed," he called as Dark walked back out into the living room. "I'm feeling slightly less hung over than expected, and I don't want to ruin it by going to sleep. I'll probably go for a swim down in the spring."

"Have fun with that," he heard Dark mumble, already slipping back into his dream world.

So a few minutes later he stepped out his door barefoot in a t-shirt and swim trunks, greeted by the crisp morning air. The sky was just beginning to lighten, and judging by the few wisps of cloud in the sky it looked like it might turn out to be a good day. Mood heightened despite the lingering effects of the alcohol he started down to the spring. He could sense the first stirrings of the town on his walk as the sun rose higher, the earliest risers making their quiet ways around town. He walked quickly then and eventually made his way to the spring, ignoring the 'swim at your own risk' signs and entered the small fenced in spring. The spring was always carefully protected by the locals, everyone making sure to keep it as natural as possible, so any buildings were kept a healthy distance away. Even Bomskitz was thoroughly separated from it; the only reason it was allowed to stay in that cavern was that it served as a snack bar for the spring in the busy summer months. It was the wrong time of year, and wrong time of day for people to be around though. Therefore Link had relative privacy as he stripped down and waded out into the water, the iciness taking his breath away momentarily. He forced on though, and when the water was up to his stomach he dove in, the shock of cold chasing away the lingering hangover. Breaking the surface again with a gasp he shook his hair back and swam out into deeper water.

He was floating on his back, skin pleasantly numbed by the cold, when he glimpsed something out of the corner of his eye. Gasping, he flipped over in the water and swam away backwards, alarmed by the sudden appearance of the red headed young man. At his reaction the boy cocked his head to the side and smiled maliciously, eyeing Link from his perch up on one of the raised rocks in the upper part of the spring. He was dressed in a pair of swim trunks and looked as if he had been swimming before Link arrived. "What the hell man," Link snapped, more than anything embarrassed at being caught off guard.

"What," he asked back, the smile slipping from his face. He slipped of the rock and splashed into the shallow water and walked casually around on the ledge. "What're you doing here anyway?"

Link glared up at him, still floating in the deep water below. "I'm swimming. What're you doing?"

"Well I was swimming until you got here," Ganon snapped back. He was making his way around the outer edge of the spring, not taking his eye off Link. "You don't like me, do you?"

"Should I," Link asked, turning in the water to follow him with his gaze.

"Hmm, I suppose you have no reason too." He grinned then. "However, things would probably be easier for you if you were genial with me."

Link rolled his eyes and swam into shallower water so he could cross his arms. "And why's that?"

Ganon only smiled wider and shook his head. Without saying anything he sauntered away, towel-less, shirtless, back in the direction of the town, quickly disappearing out of sight. Link glared after him for a few moments before splashing out of the spring and redressing quickly. He ruffled his hair violently with the towel and walked home in a huff with it hanging around his shoulders.

By the time he made it home the sun had risen high enough to turn the western side of the canyon fiery orange, and it didn't help his mood to come home and find Dark still stretched out on his couch. He chucked the damp towel his twins darker head and told him to get up. Dark groaned and sat up, pulling the towel off his head with a confused look. "You're already in a bad mood? It's too early in the morning for that."

Link came back out into the living room, redressed in fresh dry clothes, damp hair brushed back. "I ran into Ganon."

Dark made an 'oh' face. "What happened?"

Link shrugged and opened the fridge in search of sustenance. "Nothing really. I think he threatened me though."

Dark frowned while he stood and stretch. "Threatened how," he asked, feeling defensive. Link my not like it, but he would always be his baby brother, and he could be protective.

Link pulled out an apple and examined it for rot before taking a bite. He though while chewing the bite. "He said my life would be easier if I were nice to him, whatever that means."

"Swallow before talking," Dark chastised, then shrugged. "Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it if he does anything."

Link rolled his eyes. "Yes mother," he joked, in response to both things Dark said. He didn't feel like arguing about not needing his brother's protection. Dark would do what he felt like no matter what Link said.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Okay, if anyone's wondering, leevers are those cactus type things that pop up out of the ground and attack you. In the game I think they're in like Gerudo Dessert and Hyrule Field. But they're basically cacti, so the alcoholic they're drinking is made from leevers, so they're basically drinking alcoholic leever juice. I.E: They're drinking tequila, Hyrulean style tequila. I know, it's a stretch, but hey, I like it.


	4. Chapter 4

**~Chapter Four~**

Later that day Link was down in Dark's potion shop, having nothing better to do yet not wanting to sit up in his apartment. "I suppose I should be looking for a new job," he mumbled, tinkering with a few empty bottle Dark had set out. "I don't think anyone around here is hiring though. Maybe I should go into Castle Town for work."

"You don't have a car," Dark mumbled slowly, more focused on the potion he was making than on Link's rambling. He was busy cutting up a root, face lowered close to the cutting board. He had to wear glasses when he worked to see for precision cutting, and now the lenses perched dangerously close to the end of his nose.

Link gave him a scathing look. "Gee, thanks, you're super helpful."

Dark set his knife down and looked at link over the rims of his glasses. "I could always use some help around the shop," he offered, knowing perfectly well Link would initially shoot down the idea.

"I don't know how to make potions, that's always been your area of expertise."

Dark shook his head. "I don't need help making potions. I need someone to clean, organize, deal with customers. I could really use a delivery boy also." He stared at Link expectantly, waiting for him to cave.

Link frowned. "I don't know, working for my brother, it'd be weird. I'd feel like you're just doing me a favor."

Dark laughed. "I'll give you the same pay rate and hours as Barnes did, if that makes you feel better. I really could use the help though."

Link rolled his eyes but gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks."

"No problem. You can start now actually. Take that barrel of oil down to the goron shop down the way." Link nodded and went to work.

That evening after getting started at Dark's shop Link went home in high spirits. He was humming to himself and spinning his keys around, enjoying the cool evening air on his walk home, when he looked up and saw lights on in his apartment in the distance. He frowned but continued walking, trying to remember if he'd left any lights on. But that wasn't like him. He always made sure everything was turned off before he left so his power bill wasn't too high. His confusion only deepening, he started the climb upwards.

Once he'd made it to the floor of his apartment, he walked lightly and held his keys so they wouldn't jingle, wary of what he might find as he approached his door. He couldn't hear any noises from inside, so he gently placed a hand on the knob and turned it slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible. The door thankfully opened quietly and Link peeked inside. Then his jaw dropped when he saw Sheik, laying on his couch, reading a book. Exasperated, he swung the door open with a bang. "Did I give you a key or something and not remember it?"

Sheik jumped a foot off the couch, book flying across the room. "Damn Link, you scared me," he said, hand resting over his frantically beating heart. "And if you're so bothered by it maybe you should lock your door."

Link closed the door behind himself and made it a point to turn the lock. "It was unlocked," he asked, surprised with himself. He picked up the book Sheik was reading and sat down next to him.

"Yep, I was surprised too. I had thought you were home."

"So why didn't you leave when you saw that I wasn't," Linked teased.

Sheik scoffed. "And miss a prime opportunity for snooping. I think not." Link got a worried look on his face but Sheik quickly reassured him. "I didn't actually snoop at all."

"Good," he said, settling back down. Sheik grinned at him. "Not that I have anything to hide," he gasped, quickly backpedalling.

Sheik only grinned more broadly. "Maybe you should leave your door unlocked more often.

Link shook his head and relaxed back on the couch. The two sat in relatively awkward silence for a while, until Sheik finally broke it. "So, about yesterday..."

Link looked over at him, eyebrows raised. What had happened between him and Sheik had been nagging at the back of him mind all day. He admittedly had had a small crush on Sheik ever since they'd moved next door to each other, he'd simply never acted on it because he didn't think Sheik felt the same. Now he was worried Sheik would say it was all a mistake and would never happen again. So he stared back and waited.

"Are you upset about it," Sheik asked, smiling nervously.

Link's eyes widened and he laughed at the unexpected question. "Are you joking? Why would I be upset?"

"Well I did kind of get you drunk and take advantage of you," Sheik pointed out.

Link shook his head with a smile. "I could have stopped you if I had wanted to."

Sheik smiled back, reassured by Link's joking nature. "I suppose that's good then." He scooted closer to Link on the couch then, fully intending to make a move, when he noticed Link tensing smiled again. "You're nervous."

Link scowled. "Of course I'm nervous. This is a bit different when I'm sober and can actually see it coming."

Sheik couldn't help but grin and ask, "Are you a virgin?"

"No," Link replied indignantly.

Sheik leaned against the back of the couch and faced Link, smiling coyly. "Have you ever actually been with a man?"

Link looked away then and crossed his arms, biting his lip. After a moment he said, "That depends on what you mean by 'been with'."

"You're a boy virgin," Sheik laughed.

Link glared at those red, mirth-filled eyes. "Do you really think its a good idea to laugh at the person who could hold out on you."

The smile slipped off of Sheik's face then. "I'm sorry, it's just unexpected."

Link smiled, not easily bothered, and leaned his forehead against that of the other blonde. "You almost blew it," he said quietly, dropping a hand to rest on his knee. This had the intended effect on Sheik, whose eyes lowered, pulse picking up a beat.

"This is why you don't seem like a virgin," he said, voice husky, then tangled his fingers through Link's hair and pulled him across the small gap for a bone melting kiss. An electric sensation ran over his skin as Link moved his hand up Sheik's slimmer thigh to his waist, slipping his hands in his shirt to feel bare skin. Link pulled the thinner body closer so he had a knee on either side of Link's thighs and pushed his shirt higher, hands trailing to the small of Sheik's back. His fingers brushed the dimples there, making Sheik shudder and gasp, then kiss him again with more force. He broke the kiss again and leaned back, stripping his shirt off to fully expose his toned chest and stomach. Link licked his lips and leaned up, nipping at his collar bone and up his throat. Sheik leaned his head back, panting and grabbing at Link's shirt.

Then, catching Link off guard, Sheik shifted suddenly and flipped Link onto his back, momentarily stunning him motionless. So he pushed Link's shirt up and pulled, until Link got the hint and arched his back so it could be pulled all the way off. Link yelped loudly at the feel of a hot wet mouth running over his skin, licking his nipples, bringing on a dizzy high feeling. He clutched at the back of the sofa and moaned, feeling like his was fighting a loosing battle for control of his own body, and not really caring. Then he felt Sheik's hand at the waist of his pants, skillfully popping the button with one hand. Link looked down, startled, but Sheik was in his own world. So he didn't notice the terrified look on Link's face when he pulled down his jeans and underwear in one swift move.

It slipped away though into a look of ecstasy when Sheik grabbed him and began to stroke, savoring Link's long throaty groan. He looked up, satisfied to find Link's eyes closed, face gone slack with pleasure, breath hitching whenever his thumb moved over the tip. Encouraged, Sheik lowered his head and licked along the length, pleased when Link cried out sharply, hips bucking involuntarily into the sensation. He then took the entire length into his mouth, holding Link's hips in place to avoid being gagged, and began to move his head up and down at a steady pace. Link's heart thundered in his throat, breath coming in gasps with each movement Sheik made. He wouldn't last much longer at this rate, an aching need for release already forming. Then Sheik swallowed and hummed, bringing Link over the edge with a loud cry. Sheik swallowed his release, gave one last lick, making Link shudder, and sat back to enjoy the sight of him still panting and flustered.

When Link's body had finally calmed he stirred and looked around with a slightly glazed expression, until he spotted Sheik leaning against the back of the couch, watching him with a self satisfied smirk. He blushed, still naked, and sat up to pull his pants up. Sheik watched him with a slightly amused expression. "I have to leave," he said after a while.

Link gave him a wide eyed look, then thought and nodded. "It's getting late, isn't it? You have class tomorrow?"

Sheik nodded as the both walked slowly towards the door. "Yeah, first thing in the morning too."

Link nodded as he opened the door and leaned against it. Sheik slid an arm around his waist and leaned next to him, leaning over and kissing him slowly. Link rested his arm over his shoulder and deepened the kiss, then breaking away reluctantly to see the lingering look of desire on Sheik's face. He quickly hid it though and grinned at Link.

"See you tomorrow."


	5. Chapter 5

**~Chapter Five~**

Dark slipped his keys into his pocket after locking up the shop, looking around the now peaceful town in the light of the street lamps. He had stayed late that night and now it seemed there was nothing left awake, an undisturbed fog settling low to the ground. The stairs up to his apartment above the shop were around the back of the building, barely lit by the porch light. He'd considered remodeling so the stairs were inside but it really wasn't enough of a bother to him to waste the time or money. So he went down the stairs in a bound and was rounding the corner around the side when he stopped mid stride. Standing up straight he turned around and looked back down the street at the figure that had caught his eye.

A red haired young man, who he could only assume was the now infamous Ganon, strode quickly towards him, disturbing the light fog layer. "Could you sell me something," he asked when he got close enough.

Dark crossed his arms, the salesman in him overcoming his desire to turn down the request. "What do you need?"

"My father burned himself, but he doesn't have anything for it.

Dark sighed and pulled his keys back out. "Come on inside. What kind of burn is it?"

Ganon thought while they went up the stairs, answering as Dark unlocked the door again. "Well he burned himself cooking, and he wont shut up about the pain."

Dark went in and flicked the lights back on. "Any blistering?"

Ganon followed him inside and looked around. "No, just red, a little swollen. He says it hurts a lot."

Dark nodded as he shuffled through some bottles behind the front counter. "It sounds like first degree. I have a salve for those. Just let me find it." He clinked through a few more bottles behind the counter, then stood, frowning, and looked around the shelves up front. "Ah, here it is. I should have Link alphabetize in here," he mused to himself as he brought the container to the counter and used a clean knife to transfer some to a small tin. "This will numb the pain and keep it moist so it heals. Apply a thin layer as needed." He held the tin up to Ganon, who frowned and eyed it speculatively.

"How much do I owe you?" he asked then, tucking the tin in his pocket and pulling out his wallet.

"Twenty rupees," Dark answered as he closed the jar again and replaced it on the shelf. Ganon placed a red rupee on the counter and made to leave.

"Wait up," Dark said, tucking the rupee in his pocket and dashing after Ganon.

The red head stopped at the bottom of the steps as Dark came out, looking back over his shoulder with an arched eyebrow. Dark stepped up beside him and gave him a quizzical look. "You don't seem all that bad," he observed.

Ganon smirked. "What makes you say that?"

"Link told me you...Well he told me you don't seem like the nicest guy. And I haven't exactly heard the best things about you from other people either," Dark explained, watching him warily.

Ganon laughed and shook his head. "I haven't lived here in almost ten years, how accurate can anyone's opinion of me really be?"

The question left Dark speechless. He had assumed everyone had valid reasons for disliking Ganon, but he had been in town less than two days. That wasn't enough time to form a genuine opinion of anyone, and people change a lot in ten years. Dark shook his head and laughed at himself. "You have a point, a really good point."

Ganon crossed his arms and dipped his head. "Thank you."

Dark gave him a peculiar look and eyed him up and down suggestively. Ganon noticed and arched his eyebrows but didn't seem too offended by the move. In fact it had piqued his interest. Dark smirked. "Do you want to come up to my place?"

Ganon leered at Dark for a moment, then looked back down the street with a sigh. "I can't, I have to get this to my father," he said, shaking the tin slightly.

Dark nodded. "Maybe another time then."

"Maybe," Ganon said, smirking. Then they parted went their own ways.

About an hour later Dark was sitting in his living room, swinging back and forth gently in his hanging basket seat, dressed solely in a pair of black and white plaid pajama bottoms. He was flipping slowly through the channels on his television, finding nothing of interest, when there was a knock on the front door. He jumped at the unexpectedness of it, making the basket seat swing sporadicly, but stood to answer it anyway. Upon looking through the eyehole he found a vibrant head of red hair out on his porch.

He opened the door with a confused look on his face. "Ganon?"

He briefly scanned Dark's naked torso and smiled deviously, then pushed inside and yanked his jacket off. It fell to the floor with a heavy thud as he closed the door and pushed Dark up against it, claiming his lips in a rough kiss. They were quickly reduced to a mass of panting moans and feverish kisses, Dark feeling like Ganon had put his hands everywhere. "Come on," he said, barely breaking away long enough to drag Ganon towards the bedroom.

Ganon backed him up against the bed forcefully until Dark had no choice but to sit. He pulled his shirt off and climbed onto the bed after, pushing Dark down beneath him and moving his attention downwards. He gripped Dark's growing erection through the forgiving fabric, making him cry out. Ganon laughed breathily then slipped his hand inside to fondle him directly. Dark gasped and looked down, panting heavily, the sight of Ganon's hand only inflaming him further. Ganon bit his shoulder then, drawing his attention back up, and kissed him again until he was breathless.

Ganon removed his hand then, Dark mewling at the sudden loss, and undid the button fly on his pants. Dark squirmed out from beneath him for a moment to retrieve a small jar from the bedside drawer and handed it to the red head. The substance inside smelled faintly of cinnamon and vanilla. Ganon grinned as he removed the last of his garments and perched above him. Dark licked his lips as his eyes raked over Ganon's bare form, marveling at the dusky olive tone of his skin before lingering over one spot in particular. His attention was again brought back by Ganon biting him, this time with a small growl that sent shivers down his spine. He lost focus as bites were layered over his skin, quickly being soothed by a soft tongue, so he was caught off guard when Ganon slipped a lubricated finger inside him. His practiced hands quickly found what he was looking for and he stroked the spot inside that made Dark moan and arch his back deliciously. Once he'd gotten Dark to a prepared yet unsatisfied point he stopped his ministrations and kissed him to keep him from complaining while he used some of the cinnamon lube on himself. He then positioned himself at Dark's entrance, than pushed inside with one quick thrust. Dark screamed, minimal preparation and Ganon's admittedly hefty girth making the move hurt more than he'd expected. Ganon looked down at him, not entirely surprised, and thrust again, enjoying the look of pained pleasure on Dark's face. He picked up a steady pace, Dark gasping and moaning beneath him as the pain faded quickly into pure pleasure. Ganon gripped the head board to gain purchase as the rate of his thrusts increased, grunting with the force of each movement. Dark's moans had elevated into near screams, each push from Ganon sending closer to climax, his nails digging furrows down his partner's back. Suddenly Ganon grabbed Dark by the hips and shifted his movements so he was stroking his prostate with each thrust. Dark saw stars each time and screamed, and not really caring if anyone heard. Ganon was quickly nearing his own release, so he reached down and stroked Dark in time with himself to get him even closer. With the new contact it was only a few more pounding thrusts before Dark came with bone wrenching force, screaming one last time as he spilled himself over his stomach. Ganon drove into him once, twice, three times before coming deep inside him.

Ganon rolled away then and stretched out on his back and they both enjoyed the after glow while their bodies calmed down. Dark had relaxed after a few minutes and was falling asleep when the mattress shifted and he looked over to find Ganon sitting up and stretching. He grabbed a few tissues from the bedside and cleaned himself up, then looked over his shoulder at Dark. He leaned over and carefully wiped away the remanents of their actions from Dark's stomach, whose eyes followed the movement with sleepy curiosity. "You're leaving, huh," he asked then.

Ganon tossed the tissues on the floor, unable to find a trash can, and nodded. "Yes. The thing about this is that I'm not interested in a relationship. I don't think you are either."

"No, not really," Dark said while stretching.

Ganon leaned over him then and looked him in the eye. "Good, then we can call this what it is. Fucking, and just fucking." He kissed Dark forcefully one last time, then hopped up off the bed and retrieved his clothing. He was quickly dress and left the room without another word from either of them, and Dark was already falling asleep by the time he heard the front door close.


	6. Chapter 6

**~Chapter Six~**

Link sat on the steps outside Dark's shop, waiting impatiently for his brother to arrive and unlock the doors. He was only about five minutes late, something Link had done plenty of times himself, but he found it slightly bizarre for his 'boss' to be late. He was also still getting used to thinking of his darker twin as his boss. So he sat leaning forward on his knees, bordely staring off into space.

A few minutes later Dark sauntered around the corner, humming to himself. Link stood and frowned at him with his arms crossed. "You're late."

Dark arched an eyebrow at him and smiled as he climbed the steps. "The boss is never late, all employees are simply early," he said, still smiling as he unlocked the door and skipped inside.

Link followed after him more slowly, closing the door and flipping on the outside light to indicate the store was open. "Are you serious," he asked his brother as he disappeared to the back.

"Of course not, I'm normally early actually. I just over slept a bit today," he explained as he came back out front, tying the strings of a heavy canvas apron behind his back, glasses pushed up in his hair. He was still smiling too, completely ignoring Link's slightly sore mood.

"What has you so chipper," the blonde asked, leaning against the counter with a hand on one hip.

Dark thought for a moment. _I finally got a good lay after a month long dry spell?_ He considered saying just that, but decided against it. Link seemed to be in a sour enough mood as it was. "I just had a good night is all. Why do you seem so pissed?"

Link frowned. "I had a good night too, but then this morning went to shit. I woke up way too early and couldn't fall back asleep, then I when I went to make breakfast all my tupperware fell out of the cupboard. Two of my favorite mugs broke too. Then I found my milk went bad. And to top it all off, my stupid boss was late."

Rather than feel chastised, Dark simply laughed. He was about to say something, but then the door opened with a jingle and in walked their first customer of the day. "Customer," Dark stated the obvious. "Have fun, I'll be in back."

"Of course," Link rolled his eyes at his brother, then turned to the customer. "Can I help you?"

She turned around. "I just need a bottle of red potion pills." Link nodded and went to retrieve a bottle while she continued to look around the shelves. Something about her seemed oddly familiar to him, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it.

"Ten rupees," he said, setting the bottle on the counter. She came over as she shuffled through her purse and pulled out two blue rupees, then smiled and set them on the counter. "Thank you," she said, dropping the bottle in her purse.

Link eyed her curiously as he put the bright blue jewels in the cash box. "You look very familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?"

She looked him over critically. "I don't think so. I'm not from here." He nodded and they stood across from each other awkwardly for a moment. "My brother live here though," she offered. "We look a lot a like."

It dawned on him then. She had different color eyes, but the same general features and hair color and texture of a certain someone. "You're Sheik's sister," he said with a certain. He thought back to when Sheik had explained it to him. They were twins, like he and Dark, but she lived in Castle Town where their family was from.

She smiled. "Yes, I'm Zelda." She held out her hand and they shook. "How do you know Sheik?"

"Oh, he lives in the apartment next to mine. We're also friends," he finished, still feeling slightly awkward.

She nodded. "Well I'm going up to visit him and drop in on some of his classes. I'll let him know I ran into you."

Link smiled again and she left, waving back before the door fell closed.

"Sheik has a sister," Dark asked, appearing in the doorway with an arm full of bottles.

Link looked back at him, then grabbed a few of the bottles and helped him put them away. "Yes, a twin too."

Dark look mildly surprised. "He never mentioned that before."

"Did you ask," Link pointed out.

"I guess I didn't. You'd think he'd at least make mention of it though. Twins aren't exactly common, if I met another set I'd mention it," Dark mused.

Link frowned, more to himself than anything else. "I don't think he likes to talk much about his family."

Dark hmm-ed to himself and was about to ask why, when the bell over the door jingled again and in walked a familiar red-haired figure. Dark and Link turned and both stared, momentarily silenced by his appearance.

Ganon stopped at the doorway, eyes flicking over the situation. "Am I interrupting something?"

The twins looked at one another, then back at Ganon. "Not really," Dark said before Link could be rude to him. "Did you need something else?"

"Else," Link asked, gaze jerking back to Dark, who shot him a look that clearly said shut up.

Ganon stepped into the shop fully and closed the door, choosing to ignore the exchange between the brothers. "My father loved the salve. He wants more of it for if he burns himself again. Well, when he burns himself again."

Dark grinned. "Good to know it works so well. It's actually my own recipe," he said, retrieving the same jar. "The same amount as yesterday," he asked, searching through the empty tins behind the counter.

"A lot more actually, he's going through it pretty quickly."

Dark nodded and brought up a large tin and began filling it and the two chatted amicably while he did.

Link stood off to the side, leaning against a shelf, and observed the two. _This day just keeps getting better_, he mentally grumbled to himself. The two were being extremely friendly with one another, and Link could only fathom that something had happened between the two between yesterday evening when he'd gone home and now, and that absolutely baffled him. So he leaned there and waited patiently until they finished and Ganon had left the shop (not without a backward glance at Dark though, Link noticed) before confronting his slightly older brother.

"What the hell was that," he asked as Dark put the lid back on the jar of salve.

Dark looked up, looking as genuinely confused as he could manage. "What was what?"

"You were acting very buddy-buddy with him. What happened?"

Dark scoffed. "He came in for some burn salve last night, we talked. I can't exactly be rude to customers Link. Do you know what would happen to business if I started selecting people to be polite to and others to be rude to? My customer base would end up in the toilet." Dark frowned to himself, noting that that had seemed somewhat rehearsed. Fortunately though Link looked properly scolded.

"I suppose," he said, almost sounding childish. Dark went into the back again, admittedly hiding to avoid further questioning from Link. The way he'd acted with Ganon wasn't entirely customer appropriate, what with the flirting and innuendos they had made, but he was hoping Link would miss that. So he hid in back and hoped Link would say up front.

Of course he didn't, and instead came to stand in the doorway, a hand on either side of the frame. To Dark's relief though, he wasn't there to poke at him about Ganon, not at that point in time at least. "What am I supposed to be doing out here anyway," he asked.

Dark set down his pestle. "Right. I actually wanted you to alphabetize all the shelves. I can never find anything."

Link rolled his eyes, but smiled a little. "Everyone always wants me to organize."

By the end of the day all the shelves were perfectly arranged, and he had probably sneezed a good fifty times from all the dust. It was like Dark never cleaned. He pointed it out as he was getting ready to leave, and the two joked about it, then Link headed for home.

He was closing the door to his apartment when he heard Sheik's door open suddenly and the sound of arguing voices. Link closed his door all the way, but continued to stand by it, listening to the tone of the argument. One voice was clearly Sheik's, and he assumed the other was Zelda's. They were out on the walkway, and both sounded clearly upset. They spoke quietly though and Link couldn't understand their words, but he heard when it ended. "You are absolutely insufferable," Zelda snapped, voice finally raising, then the sound of her stomping away signaled the end of the event.

Link listened carefully for a moment longer, and when he didn't hear Sheik's door close, he decided to go out and ask what happened.

He stepped out quietly and looked over, finding Sheik still standing in his doorway. He stood with on hand gripping the doorway tightly, the other pinching the bridge of his nose. His mouth was a hard, frustrated line and he was breathing deeply through his nose, trying to calm himself. Link stood and waited patiently, but he must have made a noise because Sheik looked up suddenly. He stared at Link for a moment then sighed and dropped his hand. "You heard that?"

Link shook his head. "Only the end, when she called you insufferable." Sheik closed his eyes and sighed quietly. Link blushed. "I'm sorry, I'm not helping."

Sheik shook his head. "It's not you," he said as he turned and went inside. He left the door open so Link took it as an invitation to come inside and followed. He'd never been in Sheik's apartment before, and the sight made him stop in his tracks. It was impeccably decorated, two of the walls of the living room done in faux brick, with tanned leather paint on the other walls. A large creamy white fur rug rested under a large black leather sofa, all on dark hard wood floors. All the furniture was done in the same shade of dark wood.

He was still staring around, slightly awed, when he heard Sheik in the other room making a frustrated growling noise. He shook himself and closed the door, trying to ignore the expensive decor, and went to where the noise was. He found Sheik in his room, struggling angrily with the zipper on his coat.

"Stop, stop, stop," Link said repeatedly, going to him and grabbing his hands to still them. Sheik let his arms drop while Link fiddled with the zipper, finally pulling it down easily and pushing the coat off his shoulders. Sheik let it fall to the floor with a rustle, and the two stood there for a moment, Link waiting quietly while Sheik calmed himself. When his breathing had evened, he placed a hand on Sheik's cheek, making the shorter blonde look up at him. "I wont ask, but you can talk to me about it if you'd like," he said gently, trying not to upset him further.

Sheik smiled and leaned against him, bringing his arms up around Link's neck and burrowing his face against the crook between there and shoulder. Link brought his arm around Sheik's slim waist and they stood like that for some time. Finally Sheik shifted and pulled away, going to sit on the bed. He began to unlace his shoes, so Link came to sit next to him and do the same. "You don't mind if I stay for a bit, do you?"

"Not at all," Sheik said, kicking his shoes across the room. He moved and sat cross-legged near the head of the bed and patted the area next to him, asking Link to join him.

Link sat back against the head board and stretched his legs out, getting comfortable and crossing them at the ankles. Sheik shifted a little closer and watched him closely. After a moment he bit his lip and looked away, then back at Link, who leaned against a pile of pillows and waited for him to do something. Finally Sheik huffed, blowing his bangs out of his face in the same move. "I've never actually talked to anyone about this," he explained, looking down at his hands instead of at Link. After a moment, he continued, carefully picking his words before speaking. "No one in Kakariko know this, but my father is the mayor of Castle Town."

"Wow," Link mouthed, more breath than sound to it. "So is that how you can...?" He trailed off, unsure how to finish the question.

"Afford all these nice things," Sheik finished for him, gesturing around vaguely. "Yes, my parents did this when I started school. Don't mistake it though, there's a reason they try to keep me comfortable here."

"Why is that," Link asked, looking around at the room as he did.

Sheik smiled bitterly. "They think if I'm comfortable here I'll have less reason and desire to come home."

Link frowned, brow creasing. "I don't understand. Why wouldn't they want you coming home?"

"Because I'm gay," he said simply. He sighed at Link's look of confusion. "My father is in power, and to remain in power he has to keep the people happy. If people found out he has a gay son, he'll loose hundreds of votes and likely be kicked out of office. People aren't exactly accepting of homosexuality these days, at least when it comes to politics. So when it came time for me to go to college, rather than send me to the university in Castle Town, they insisted I go here to keep out of the public eye so I don't embarrass the family."

Link scoffed. "That's stupid," he said indignantly.

Sheik nodded. "Stupid but true. So I stay here and I rarely talk to any of my family. It's for the better though. If they can't accept me for my choices, then it's their loss."

Link looked at him sadly. "It must hurt though, not being able to see your family."

He shrugged. "Sure, when I remember my childhood, before my father was in the media eye, and before sexuality was even relevant, we were the picture perfect family. It was nice, and I have good memories of it. But a family should be able to stand through things like this though. If they've all given up family in favor of career, then I don't think I'd want to be a part of that family anyway. I don't think any of them get that though."

Link smiled. "You handle it better than I ever could. So why did your sister come today?"

Shaking his head, Sheik said, "She's infuriating. She comes to visit from time to time, always unannounced too. I suppose she's just checking in, but we always end up fighting. She seems to think me being gay is just a faze and that I'll grow out of it. I try to explain that it doesn't work that way, but apparently I'm just being insufferable." He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, that's all there is to it. Let's stop talking about it though. I want to get into a better mood."

"Alright," Link said, sitting forward and mirroring Sheik's cross-legged pose. "What do you want to do?"

Sheik rolled his eyes again, this time amused. "What do you think? But first I'm hungry, lets eat something." He bounded off the bed in a flash and was out of the room before Link even set a foot on the ground. Once he followed into the kitchen he found Sheik already pulling out a pot and sifting through the fridge. "How about pesto and ravioli," he asked, turning around with a small green tub and a bag of pasta in his hands.

"Sounds good to me," he said, examining the kitchen while Sheik cooked. It was the least decorated room in the apartment, just your typical kitchen things lining the counter, a few pictures on the wall, and the same layout as his own, only reversed. They only odd thing though was what was sitting in the table nook. Instead of a set of table and chairs, there was a large object by the window, covered in a thick black clothe. "What is this," he finally asked, after a good long time staring at it.

Sheik glanced up and smiled while he stirred a large boiling pot. "Pull the cover off," he said.

So Link shrugged and did as he was told, grabbing a large fistful of black fabric and giving it one hard yank. It slid to the floor with a heavy thump of fabric, revealing a large wooden harp. Link gasped in amazement, then grinned widely. "You play harp?"

Sheik nodded, a pleased smirk on his lips. "Yep. I can play just about every sting instrument, but I'm best with a harp." He was busy cooking and didn't see the amazed look that passed across Link's face.

"You never told me that."

Sheik shrugged as he pulled some plates down from the cupboard. "I don't like it when people are interested in me just because I know how to play an instrument. " He noticed Link's skeptical look. "Trust me, it happens," he laughed, dishing up the finished meal.

"So, where exactly do you eat if the harp is where your table goes?"

"The floor of course," Sheik laughed, leading him into the living room and sitting on the floor at the coffee table. He flipped on the TV and turned it to a chanel for background music, then said, "Dig in."

Sheik finished his food in record time and was in the kitchen cleaning up when Link finished. Link brought his plate in and Sheik took it from him and began washing it before Link could say a word. So he stood back and watched him work for a moment, smiling for some reason he didn't know. After a moment though he pushed away form his spot on the wall and stepped up behind the shorter blonde. He rested his hands on Sheik's hips then and slowly pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. He reveled at the small shudder that ran over Sheik's skin at the touch, causing him to pause in his work for a moment. "This is why you don't seem like a virgin," he murmured.

Link pulled back a bit, still resting against his hips though. "I'm not a virgin, I told you that."

Sheik finished washing the last pan and dried his hand before turning around in Link's grasp. "I'm guessing you've only been with one person, and it was a girl.," he started. "I'm also guessing you didn't like it that much either. And I know you've never had sex with a man, and despite what you may have done, if it wasn't sex, then you've still only had it once. And by my logic, if you've only had sex once, and you didn't like it, then you might as well be a virgin." Link blinked at the explanation. "Irrefutable logic, isn't it," Sheik joked, reaching up and gently grabbing a handful of the sandy blonde hair at the back of Link's head.

Link closed his eye at the small sensation and leaned in closer instinctively. "So what if I am a virgin, does that change anything," he murmured, voice low and unintentionally husky.

Sheik smiled and pulled his head to the side slightly, exposing more of that delicious neck. "Not one bit," he whispered against the skin before claiming it in a sudden bite.

Link gasped, not from pain, but from the wonderful sensation it brought, and ground his hips against the other man's, seeking more friction for his sudden and forceful arousal. Sheik answered by arching his hips as close as they could get while still wearing clothes, savoring the needy thrust Link gave. Link kissed him hard then, moaning into that amazing mouth, leaving him breathless.

Sheik was pushed up against the counter, feet nearly leaving the floor at the force Link was using, not that he minded. He just wrapped his legs around Link's waist then, making him groan and grab his ass to keep him there, not wanting to loose that amazing feeling. Sheik broke away from the kiss, giving a small tug to Link's hair to get his attention. That only served to incite Link further though as he simply moved from Sheik's mouth to his throat. Sheik lost his train of thought for a moment and leaned his head back and parted his lips, moaning as Link licked along the side of his neck. "Damn you're talented," he gasped, finally pulling Link's hair enough to make him break for a moment.

Link smirked. "Thanks," he said, bowing his head back to what he'd been doing.

Sheik was able to gasp out, "Bedroom, now," before Link forced his mind to focus on the feeling coursing all over his skin with each kiss, lick, and bite he made. It was only when his damp skin cooled slightly that he realized Link was carrying him to the bedroom. They had to break contact while he set Sheik down, much to Link's dismay. He was satiated though when Sheik, sitting on the edge of the bed, pulled him closer and began to undo his jean. He watched, mesmerized as his clothing was quickly removed and Sheik lowered his head to his erection, taking the head between his lips. Link gasped and closed his eyes. He already felt like his knees were going to give out. "Wait, wait," he gasped, starling Sheik. "Let me sit or I'll probably pass out and fall over during this, " he laughed shakily.

He sat on the edge of the bed, but instead of letting him move further up, Sheik held him in place and moved to kneel between his legs. Link leaned back on his hands and watched speechlessly as he resumed, mouth expertly pleasing him and taunting him at the same time. He came to the conclusion that Sheik's mouth was probably his favorite thing in the world by now, no matter what it was doing.

But then he was forced out of his thoughts when Sheik swirled his tongue around the head, making Link gasp loudly and collapse onto the bed fully. Sheik hmm-ed, simultaneously pleased with himself and sending waves of pleasure through Link's body. He knew Link wouldn't last very long, so Sheik was holding back to enjoy the show he put on. And what a show it was. His back was arched, his chest rising and falling rapidly, the muscles in his stomach flexing every time Sheik ran his tongue of his sensitive tip. He gripped the covers desperately with one hand, grip tightening and loosening with Sheik's motions. Unconsciously he ran the fingers of his other hand over his skin, over his chest and neck and through his hair, repeating the motion over again.

Sheik moaned, his own need building at the sight, and he was gripped by the sudden need to be inside Link when he came this time. And maybe the next time, he thought to himself, noting the Link would probably hit a first orgasm more quickly than him. So he stopped, leaving Link painfully hard, and went in search of lube. Link gasped and sat up, watching him leave the room. "Why'd you stop," he panted, getting no answer.

He was about to get up when Sheik returned. He handed the bottle to Link, who turned it over and read the label, while he undressed. Link read and reread the bottled, not quite coming to the conclusion before Sheik, fully naked now, laid on the bed. Link scooted closer so they were lying even with each other, and finally realized Sheik's intent when he saw him stretched out naked. He took the bottle of lube and watched Link nervously. He hadn't asked first, so he was waiting for Link to stop him. It took the sound of the cap popping for Link to finally speak up.

"Wait, I've never done this before. I mean I want to, but..."

"You're nervous," Sheik nodded. "We don't have to..."

Link stopped him. "No, I want to, just... Well, I just go easy on me."

Sheik smiled reassuringly. "Of course. Now lay back. You'll enjoy this."

Link watched, wary but curious, as Sheik took some of the lube and rubbed it between his hands before leaning over and kissing Link on the shoulder. He trailed upward, quickly bringing Link back to the same lustful state, and began stroking him again. Link jumped at the initial feeling of the lubricant, but quickly noted the it made Sheik's touch feel even better. His mouth trailed down and he began sucking one of Link's nipples, effectively distracting him. He quickly squirted more lube on his fingers then slowly slid one inside, which Link didn't fail to notice. His body instantly tensed, moans stopping from the discomfort. "Is it supposed to feel like that," he gasped.

"Just at first," Sheik murmured. He began to finger the tightness slowly, searching for the spot that would make this all the more enjoyable for Link. He watched Link's face carefully, noticing every sign of pain and discomfort this brought, until finally he brushed that small perfect place and Link's eyes snapped wide. He smiled, satisfied, and stroked it again, this time earning a long moan. After a few minutes like this Link was back to that heady, blanket gripping state, his body writhing perfectly, even moving against Sheik's finger of his own accord. So he slipped another one in, timed so that he stroked his sweet spot as it happened. Again discomfort registered, but it was clouded by pleasure and growing need, and he quickly got used to it.

Sheik swallowed hard, watching as Link practically fucked himself on his fingers. It was all he could do not to ravage him. So as soon as he felt Link get used to the second digit, he inserted a third. Link definitely noticed that one though, and gasped, brow furrowing. Sheik leaned down and kissed him, drawing his attention away, until his vision clouded again and he rocked himself down against those fingers.

Link sufficiently prepared and his own need getting the better of him, Sheik finally removed his fingers and grabbed the lube, preparing himself. Link all but whined at the loss of sensation until he noticed Sheik spreading lube on his own length. He stared, breathless and excited and partially terrified, until Sheik was finally positioned himself between Link's legs. "Ready?" Link nodded, looking down, wanting to see Sheik inside him, but even prepared the discomfort and near pain caused him to close his eyes and grit his teeth. "Breath, and relax," Sheik instructed, voice strained with the effort it took not to simply plunge in and fuck him. He tried, taking a few deep breaths and trying to ease his muscles, and before long Sheik was fully inside him. His breath was labored from easing inside something so tight and warm, but he calmed himself and asked, "You alright? How do you feel? Any pain?"

Link smiled, opening his eyes. "No pain, I just feel...filled, really." He looked down and gasped quietly, the sight of Sheik like this, inside, sent shivers down his spine. "Move, please," he breathed, eyes glazing over with need once again. He gladly obliged and pulled out almost all the way, then pushed back in, faster this time. Link moaned and his head fell back, his hand trailing over his skin again while the other held on to Sheik's bicep. He didn't need further invitation and did it again, taking up a slow but easy pace, still careful not to hurt him. Link wrapped his legs around Sheik's back, and Sheik sped up, loosing himself to the feeling.

He could already feel Link tightening around him, an orgasm already built up, pooling in his lower stomach. "Don't fight it," Sheik insisted, desperately wanting to feel how Link's body was in pure ecstasy. Link gasped, rocking his hips up and nearly screaming with each thrust.

"Ah, ah, ah fuck Sheik!" He cried out, voice ringing around the room as he came, back arching, seed coating his and Sheik stomachs. Sheik froze, nearly falling over the edge when Link tightened around him, muscles flexing through climax. Body still shaking, Link opened his opened his eyes. "That was amazing," he breathed, arching up and kissing Sheik's lips.

"Glad you liked it," Sheik laughed shakily, still panting and tense with need.

"You didn't come," Link asked, confusion cutting through his blissful fog.

"No. Well, not yet at least," he murmured, licking along Link's collar bone, eliciting a small groan. He began to thrust again, making Link spasm around him and yelp, still sensitive. Sheik neared his own release quickly then, egged on by the overly-stimulated noises coming from Link. Sheik was pleased to find him hard again, already closing in on a second thrust became more raucous, his beat less even as he neared his own orgasm, Link already tightening again. He moaned and pounded into Link harder, dizzying pleasure building. He felt lightheaded, almost like he'd choke if he didn't come soon. And then Link hit a second climax, bucking more forcefully this time and pulling Sheik along with him into absolute bliss.

The two laid tangled together for god knows how long afterward, still connected in that intimate way, bodies cooling and pulses leveling to match. Finally Sheik stirred and pushed himself up a bit. "I think we both need a bath," he mumbled sleepily.

"Hmmm," was Link's response, already drifting to sleep.

Sheik smiled lazily and shifted so they spooned perfectly, his arm stretch possessively around Link's waist. "In the morning then," he whispered, kissing the back of Link's neck before passing out.


	7. Chapter 7

**~Chapter Seven~**

Gasps echoed around the room, sounds reverberating loudly in such a confined space. Dark was bent over with his head hung down, arms braced against his work bench, gripping the edge desperately hard. A bead of sweat dripped down from his temple and slid along his jaw before falling to the floor. Ganon gave a particularly hard thrust then and Dark yelped involuntarily, head jerking up to look over his shoulder. Ganon had a firm hold on his waist, nails digging roughly into his hip bones as he rammed forcefully into the smaller man. Dark lowered his head again and forced himself to gasp in air as each thrust knocked the breath out of him. The bench rocked dangerously beneath them, knocking over the smaller bottles, legs threatening to give out. Suddenly the redhead let go of Dark's hips and stretched out along his back, sinking his teeth into the pale flesh of his shoulder. Dark shuddered as the sensations combined, twisting and pooling in a dizzying tightness in his stomach. Then Ganon licked along the back of his neck and his eyes widened as he saw white, orgasm washing over him in wave after absolutely blissful wave.

When he finally recovered and became aware of his surroundings again he realized he was on the floor on his knees, still holding on to the edge of the table. Ganon was still behind him too, also holding on to the table, with his other arm wrapped tightly around Dark's stomach. His forehead rested against Dark's shoulder, still breathing heavily from his own release. After a moment he laughed, the sound low and slightly startling to Dark. "Did you pass out?"

"I think so, at least for a little bit" he breathed, still trying to catch his breath.

Ganon kissed the side of his neck. "I've never done that before, it's kind of flattering" he said amusedly before pulling away and standing to clean himself up. Dark got to his feet more slowly, standing on still shaky legs.

"Well I've never had it happen, so be flattered I suppose," he said, still slightly disoriented while he searched for his underwear.

Ganon finished buttoning his jeans and eyed Dark curiously. "You're not hurt or anything, are you," he asked, mild concern registering in his voice.

Dark shook his head and pulled on his boxer-briefs. "I don't think so. At least no more than usual," he grinned. They both finished dressing then, confusedly trading t-shirts before standing awkwardly in front of each other. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then," Dark asked, making it more a question than a statement.

Ganon smiled and stepped closer so they almost touched but were still a hairs width apart, leaning his head down until their lips almost touched. "Maybe later tonight," he said before closing the distance with a kiss. They were quickly interrupted though by the bell in the front room chiming, alerting them to a customer entering the shop. Ganon frowned. "I thought you locked the door."

"Must not have," Dark answered, stepping around him to the door that separated his work room from the rest of the shop. He opened it wide, expecting a customer, but froze in the doorway upon seeing his brother kneeling behind the front counter. "Link? What are you doing here?"

The lighter twin had headphones in though and didn't hear him, so when he stood and caught sight of Dark standing in the doorway he practically jumped out of his skin and removed the ear buds. "Why was the door locked if you're here," he asked, frowning.

"Why are you even here, aren't you supposed to be in class" Dak snapped.

Link arched his eyebrows, caught off guard by Dark's tone. "No class today, district inservice. I came by to get my book." He crossed his arms and cocked his head to the right. "Why was the door locked," he repeated.

Dark shook his head. "I shouldn't have given you that key," he grumbled, quickly giving up and stepping aside to reveal the bemused redhead behind him.

They both watched the play of emotions that ran across Link's face then. It started with an upset frown, then moved to pure confusion, then he began to puzzle through things, before finally realization set in and his face froze into a stunned, angry, and still partially confused mask. "What the fuck," he snapped, taking a step back. "I mean really, what is this?" He shook his head rapidly, stopping his brother before he could even start an explanation, then turned on his heal and left, slamming the door behind him.

For the second time that week Link found himself storming down the street towards his apartment, arms crossed tightly over his chest as his thoughts raced in an incoherent mass. He hadn't quite come to terms with what was happening. He didn't see the logic in it really. "Link!" a voice suddenly snapped through his thoughts, making him freeze on the spot and look around. Sheik was striding across the street towards him, carefully dodging around the angry traffic to reach the other sidewalk. When he got to Link he frowned and examined his expression. "What happened now," he asked, cocking his head to the side and resting a hand on Link's hip.

Link kept his arms crossed, too upset to feel affectionate at the moment. "Go ask Dark, I'm going home," he answered, voice low and tense as he pulled away from Sheik's touch.

Sheik arched his eyebrows and watched Link walk away from him without looking back, then turned his gaze down the street to Dark's shop in the distance. His eyes narrowed slightly and he started towards it.

Sheik slowly stepped up to the porch of Dark's shop, wary of what he might find inside, but the door opened before he got to it and Dark stepped out, clearly ready to close up the shop and head somewhere. "Sheik? What's up? You'll have to come back later if you want something, I'm kind of busy."

"Where you headed?" Sheik asked, crossing his arms and keeping his place in Dark's way.

Dark frowned at him defensively. "Up to Link's. What's it matter?"

"Well I actually wanted to talk to you about that. Could we go inside?" Sheik asked, stepping around him before he could protest, and entered the shop. He hopped up and took a seat on the counter, drawing his knees up to rest his elbows on, while Dark impatiently closed the door and turned off the open light.

"Okay, what do you want? I have things to do," Dark said, foul temper making him rude.

"So Link is pretty upset about something. He told me to ask you about it. What happened?" Sheik stared at him expectantly.

"Why do you care," Dark grumble, eyes going everywhere around the room but Sheik.

He shrugged. "He's my friend. Plus we are kind of dating. I think it's my business to care about what upsets him."

Dark gaped at him. "Dating? Since when?"

Sheik gave him a slightly surprised look. "About two weeks. I guess he didn't tell you."

Dark scowled. "It didn't come up." He scoffed quietly to himself. "He's such a hypocrite."

Sheik raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How so?"

Dark glanced up at him and gave him a slightly embarrassed smile. "Well, uhm... So I've kind of been seeing Ganon. We're not really dating though. It's more like..." He rubbed his face, trying to think of the right words to explain it. "It's just sex," he finished, gesturing aimlessly around himself.

Sheik nodded. "Right, right. But still, did he like walk in on you two or something? He's pretty angry."

"Well, almost, not exactly though. I had the door locked, but he has a key. He thought I wasn't here and let himself in. It was afterwards though, we were both dressed. It's not like he saw anything." Dark crossed his arms and re-assumed his defensive position.

"Wait, you did it here?" Sheik asked, shifting so he was sitting cross legged and gesturing around the shop.

"No, in my work room," Dark pointed.

Sheik looked over his shoulder and saw the work bench in disarray. "Ah. Well that's why he's upset," he said, facing forward again. "Now every time he goes to work he has to think about his brother and some guy he hates going at it, to put it crudely."

Dark rolled his eyes. "That's stupid."

"Oh really? Try to imagine it from his perspective. I can describe something if you need the mental images."

Dark shuddered comically. "No no, I get it." He sighed. "So I suppose I should apologize then?"

Sheik smiled and nodded. "Probably. Though maybe not right now. I'll talk to him first, see if he's alright."

"Right. He has work tomorrow, I'll talk to him then," Dark said, nodding. Then he sighed heavily and looked at Sheik speculatively. "You and Link huh? How'd that happen?"

He smiled wistfully to himself. "It just did. We hung out a few times, things just sort of happened."

"Is there any particular reason he didn't tell me?"

"I don't think so. We haven't really discussed it, so it's not as if we're official or anything," Sheik replied, using air quotes when saying official. "We haven't really used the term 'boyfriend' yet."

"Do you want to," Dark asked, sibling protectiveness rearing its head. He didn't want his brother toyed around with.

"Of course," Sheik answered. "Just because we haven't talked about it doesn't mean I don't want it that way." He noticed Dark's slightly parental expression and sighed. "I'll talk to him about it tonight, alright?"

"Good," Dark said, giving him a satisfied nod.

Sheik hopped down off the counter then. "Well I'm going to go check on him. I'll talk to you later."

"Right, see you later," Dark replied, heading for the back room. Sheik had a foot out the door when Dark called out to him again. "Oh, and Sheik? Ganon really isn't such a bad guy. Maybe you should get to know him before jumping to any conclusions about him."

Sheik gave him a thoughtful look and nodded. "I just might," he said, then turned and slipped out the door.

When he made it back up to his and Link's floor he was greeted by the sound of a heavy bass line leaking out from Link's apartment. So he tested the doorknob and, finding it unlocked, let himself in. Link was stretched out on the couch, staring up at the ceiling with music thrumming around him loudly. He had one hand behind his head, propping it up, while the other balanced a brown glass bottle on his stomach. His eyes followed Sheik around the room as he walked over and turned the power off on the stereo. "I was listening to that," he grumbled.

Sheik crossed his arms and scrutinized the sullen young man. "Beer, really?" he asked, wrinkling his nose.

Link eyed the bottle and shrugged before taking a swig. "I like beer," he answered.

"Hmm, too bitter for my tastes," Sheik explained as he moved Link's legs aside and took a seat on the couch. "How many have you had?"

Link pushed himself into a sitting position as he emptied the bottle. "Two," he said, setting it on the table with a sharp thud. He then shifted so he sat sideways on the couch and faced Sheik, who mirrored his position on the other end of the sofa, and asked,"You talked to Dark?"

"Yes," Sheik answered with a smile and a nod.

Link stared at him a moment before getting impatient. "And?"

Sheik laughed a little. "And I think you're over reacting a bit. From what he told me you didn't see anything expressly explicit. By my understanding you're not upset by what Dark was doing, you're upset about who he's doing it with. And I really don't think either of us knows enough about Ganon to have such a bad opinion of him."

"You knew him when you were a kid, didn't you?" Link asked, frowning.

"Yes, but when I was a kid pagers were the height of modern technology. Things change, Link, especially people."

Link rolled his eyes. "So what does that mean?"

"Well according to Dark you should maybe get to know him." Sheik smiled when a look passed across Link's face that clearly said yeah right. "I'm serious. And think of it this way. If you actually find something wrong with him then you'll have a good reason for not liking him, and you might convince Dark to stop seeing him."

Link arched his eyebrows. "True," he said.

"And besides," Sheik continued as he slid down the couch, closer to Link,"Dark is a good judge of character, I don't think he'd sleep with just anyone."

Link rolled his eyes a second time. "Maybe. He can be pretty stupid when it comes to sex though. So are they not actually dating?"

"Apparently not. 'It's just sex' he said. I suppose that doesn't make it any better though," Sheik mused.

Link shrugged. "It doesn't really change anything actually. Not in my opinion at least. On the list of disturbing things I know about my sibling, it's never just sex is right up at the top. He'll deny it if you ask but he gets very attached to people he sleeps with. Really more than anything I'm worried Ganon will end up being and asshole and Dark will end up getting hurt. I've seen it happen enough times."

Sheik gave a small frown, brow furrowing. "Does Dark know that?"

"Like I said, he denies it," Link said, shaking his head.

Sheik reached out and ran a hand through Link's hair then, twirling a piece around his fingers thoughtfully. "Well later we'll have to go down to the bomb shop to say hello and try to make sure that doesn't happen. You know, meddle a little."

Link leaned into his touch and smiled. "Later? Why wait?" he asked innocently.

Sheik raise an eyebrow. "We can go now if you'd like," he offered while simultaneously pulling the sandy blonde closer. Link's reply was shake his head almost imperceptibly and quickly close the distance between them in a forceful kiss. Sheik, caught off guard by the suddenness of Link's movement, was pushed down on the couch with the taller man perched above him. He took advantage of the position and wrapped his legs around Link's waist and arched his hips up, earning a muffled yelp.

He quickly grabbed Sheik's shirt and pulled it up, prompting him to move his arms and pull it the rest of the way off, allowing him to run his hands over the expanse of skin. Link dropped his mouth to Sheik's neck then, biting down on the soft lightly-tanned skin. Sheik gasped at the sharp pain, then shuddered as Link ran his tongue over the welt. He moaned as Link turned his attention lower then, moving down his chest to focus on his nipples. Sheik gasped and gripped the back of the couch, arching up into the touch as Link took one into his mouth and ran his tongue over it, fingers going to the other.

He quickly became disoriented, mind clouding as Link worked on him, already achingly hard, desperate for more contact. Link got the point and continued down, dipping his tongue in Sheik's navel teasingly along the way, before coming to the top of his jeans. Sheik looked down and watched as Link undid the button and zipper without removing his mouth from skin, then lifted up long enough to pull them down around his thighs. Then his head dropped back as Link forwent any extra play and took his entire length in his mouth. He gasped and panted heavily, still holding on to the couch with one hand. Link swirled his tongue around the tip then and he moaned, his other hand shooting out to grip the edge of the coffee table, desperately trying to gain purchase against the overwhelming pleasure beginning to surge through his core. He began to thrust up into Link's mouth, that amazing warmth bringing him agonizingly close to release before pulling back again. He moaned breathily, teetering just on the edge, meeting each movement Link made with thrust of his own, until finally orgasm overtook him. He saw white, body tensing and tightening into a perfect arch as the heat of Links mouth drew out every euphoric moment.

Finally he relaxed, eyes closed as he basked in the after glow while his breathing calmed. Link had his forehead against his stomach, breath fluttering lightly over his overly sensitive skin. "You have an amazing belly button," he murmured after a moment, lips brushing over it lightly.

"What," Sheik asked, amusement in his voice.

Link glanced up at him and smiled, then looked back down and traced his finger around the current object of conversation. "Your belly button," he repeated. "Have you ever looked at it? It's gorgeous. Not everyone has a nice belly button."

He laughed and ran his fingers through Link's ashy blonde hair. "You're funny. I never really noticed it before. Thank you though. Do you often think about people's belly buttons?"

Link grinned and pushed himself up. "Not really, just yours." Sheik pulled his jeans back up and re-fastened them. "Oh, another thing," Link continued,"no underwear today, huh? If you're going commando now then I approve. It makes things a bit easier."

"I ran out of clean underwear," Sheik laughed, reaching up and tugging a lock of Link's hair.

Link grabbed his hand and kissed the inside of his wrist, then let it go and stood to retrieve his shoes. "Let's get this over with," he sighed heavily.

Sheik pulled his shirt back on and straightened his hair before following suit and slipping his shoes on. "It's not like you're getting teeth pulled. We'll be quick, it'll be over in no time."

He rolled his eyes as they stepped out the door. "Would it be childish to say I'd rather get a tooth pulled?"

Sheik slid his arm around the other's waist as they started the descent to street level. "Yes, just a little."

Night began to fall as they walked, turning the sky an amazing shade of purple that quickly faded to indigo, street lights creating the occasional pool of orangish light. They walked arm in arm, Link with his hands in his coat pockets, and were still a few feet from Barnes Bombs when the door opened and Ganon stepped out. He was focused on the small glowing phone in his hand and didn't seem to notice the two coming towards him as he came down the steps.

"Hey!" Sheik called out, making him jump a little and stop on the bottom step.

He saw them then and frowned as he slipped his phone in his pocket. "What? Oh, you," he said, finally realizing it was Link. He stepped down off the last step, turning to face them, and the three stood in an awkward triangle.

After a moment Sheik sighed and spoke. "You know Link, Dark's brother. He wanted to introduce himself properly, given the situation," he said, gesturing then pushing Link forward a little.

Link gave Sheik a small glare, but Ganon interrupted before he could say anything. "Yeah, we've sort of met before. Who are you though?"

"Oh, I'm Sheik. You and I actually used to know each other. My family used to vacation here in the summer."

Ganon nodded. "Right, right, the politician's son. So, what? You just came along for moral support?"

"Well I actually talked to Dark earlier. He said we should get to know you, so I forced Link down here."

Link kept his gaze carefully averted through the exchange but looked up when his name was mentioned. "I wouldn't say I was forced."

Ganon cocked his head to the side. "So you wanted to come talk to me? How flattering."

Sheik opened his mouth to say something but Link held up a hand and stopped him, instead fixing Ganon with a hard stare and saying,"Yeah, I wanted to come talk to you, but only because I'm looking for a reason to not like you. Dark says you're not such a bad guy, but I don't necessarily believe him. He also says it's just sex between you two, but I don't believe that either. I think you'll end up being just another in a long line of assholes he's been with, and chances are you'll end up hurting him. I'd love it if you'd prove me wrong, but chances are you wont, and there's nothing I can really do about it. So at the very least I can try and find a reason to validate not liking you."

A surprised look quickly passed across Ganon's face before he reined it in. "Well, I wont exactly give you a list of reasons not to like me, but I will concede that no, it isn't just sex. I don't really want a serious relationship, but I have no intention of hurting Dark. And who knows, maybe something more will come of this. But in the end, you're right, there's nothing you can do about it but sit back and watch, because I can't guarantee you he wont get hurt, and I'm not going to stop seeing him."

Link crossed his arms and the two stared at each other for a moment before he nodded. "All right then," he said, then turned to Sheik. "Well, I'm going home," he sighed, promptly turning and heading back the way they'd come.

Sheik watched him walk away, gave Ganon a small shrug, then turned and follow. "That wasn't so bad," he said when he caught back up with Link.

He smiled slightly, feeling a modicum of relief that he'd gotten it over with. "Not terrible, no," he said, taking Sheik's hand and lacing his fingers through the other's as they walked. "I still don't think he's all that nice though."

Back down the street Ganon laughed quietly to himself and shook his head as he crossed the road towards Dark's shop. When he got there and stepped inside he found Dark preparing to lock up and go home. "I ran into your brother," he said in lieu of a greeting.

"Oh? How'd it go?" Dark asked as he pulled his coat on.

"Simply enough," Ganon answered with a shrug. "We came to a sort of understanding I think."

"Good, great actually. He wasn't upset?"

The red head thought for a moment. "He wasn't exactly happy, but no, he didn't seem too upset." Dark nodded as he ushered them out the door and locked it. He turned to head up to his apartment, but Ganon stopped him with a hand on his arm. "I'm starving, you want to get a bite to eat first?"

Dark crossed his arms and tilted his head with an amused smile. "That sounds an awful lot like a date," he observed.

Ganon rolled his eyes and turned to walk the other way, prompting Dark to follow. "It's just food, don't think too much on it," he laughed as they walked side by side towards Bomskitz. It really was the only place in town to get any decent food, and the shortest walk.

Dark glanced up at the taller man along the way, examining the shape of his profile when he was looking away. "It's rude to stare," he said after a moment, smirking without looking at him.

He looked away, reddening a little. "I didn't realize I was staring."

Ganon glanced at him, still smiling. "It happens."

Once they'd made it inside Bomskitz they found a quiet booth against the back wall, kitty-corner from the bar, and sat across from one another. An overly bubbly waitress took their order and they were left relatively alone. "So," Dark said eventually,"what did you and Link talk about exactly?"

Ganon shrugged fluidly. "Not much really, it was actually a kind of brief. I think he's mostly just worried about you, which I can understand."

"Worried? Why?" Dark scoffed.

"Well, to put it in his words, he's worried that I'll be 'another in a long line of assholes', whatever that implies."

Dark scowled. "He shouldn't be blabbing around about my sex life."

"Well, being that I'm part of your sex life, I think it's okay if he talks to me about it," Ganon countered.

"Fine, I'll give you that," Dark said. "But still, he makes it sound as if I've been with a lot of people. I really haven't, at least no more than is reasonable."

Ganon shook his head with a smile. "It doesn't really make a difference to me. I'm hardly a saint in that regard." Dark smiled back at him, blushing just a little.

The food came then, interrupting their conversation while they ate in silence. After finishing Ganon picked up the tab and they left, making light conversation on the way back to Dark's apartment. Once inside they hung their coats by the door and Ganon promptly grabbed Dark by the belt loops and kissed him. It was surprising chaste though and he gave the redhead a quizzical look. "Something wrong?"

"I was thinking you must be sore from earlier. I wasn't exactly gentle about it. We can skip this tonight if you want."

Dark laughed and pulled away, heading towards the bedroom as he pulled his shirt off. "Being sore isn't exactly something that bothers me," he called back.

Ganon grinned and followed eagerly, mirroring Dark and pulling off his own t-shirt. In the bedroom Dark had already stripped off his jeans and was digging around in the top drawer of his dresser. Ganon ripped off his pants and came up behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist, one hand against his stomach while the other slipped inside his boxers. Dark gasped and paused for a moment before quickening his search through the drawer. "What're you looking for?" Ganon asked, nipping at his shoulder.

"My lube," he answered. "I left my jar down in the shop earlier, but I'm sure I have another one in here somewhere." He froze again as Ganon sped up his stokes, tongue running across the back of his neck.

"We could go without. Saliva always gets the job done," Ganon suggested, using his unoccupied hand to pull Dark's boxers down the rest of the way so they could fall to the floor. When he got no reply other than shaky breathing he took it as sign to continue and wet his fingers in his mouth. He shifted Dark so his legs were spread enough and slipped a finger inside. Dark gasped as his head fell back against Ganon's shoulder, chest heaving from the actions. A second finger was inserted then and Dark yelped, gritting his teeth against the bizarre combination of pleasure and aching pain. Ganon groaned and bit his shoulder, adding to the pain as he quickened his strokes and spread his fingers.

"You're such a fucking sadist," Dark gasped, holding the edge of the dresser in an iron grip.

"I know," Ganon breathed, pushing in a third finger. Dark gave a short scream and his knees nearly buckled, but Ganon caught him. "Lie down on the bed," he ordered,"on your stomach."

He did as he was told and Ganon was on him in an instant. He placed a hand on the mattress just above Dark's shoulder and used the other to guide his own length to his entrance. He pushed inside at an agonizingly slow pace, gabbing a handful of black hair and pulling his head to the side to expose more of his neck. He licked his lips and bit down hard on the crook between neck and shoulder, amazed by the erotic noises it brought from Dark.

Dark wrapped his hands in the fabric of his blanket, eyes closed tightly while he tried not to scream. The heady mixture of pain and arousal was overloading his senses, and he was torn between screaming for it to stop and begging for so much more. And at the frustratingly slow rate Ganon was going it wasn't getting better. "You need to move faster," he gasped, pushing back against Ganon anxiously.

He gladly complied and gave a hard thrust, pushing Dark back down on the bed with a strangled cry. He more than complied actually, adopting a grueling pace that reduced Dark to a quivering puddle, voice elevating with each thrust. Ganon's rough movement combined with the friction of being constantly rubbed against the bed brought him closer and closer to release, elevating to a white hot need that made him feel like he'd burn alive. Ganon sank his teeth into his shoulder again, making a growling noise as he neared climax too. Finally Dark came, orgasm crashing over him like a tidal wave, screaming until his voice was hoarse.

After it had passed Dark vaguely registered Ganon move and collapse on the bed next to him, sighing loudly. But it barely fazed him as his vision began to fade to black. Just before he passed out though he noticed Ganon pull the blankets over them and stretch out next to him, drifting off to sleep quickly. Dark smiled sleepily to himself then promptly fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** In skimming through some of the previous chapters I've realized I've been somewhat vague about what exactly Dark sells in his shop. Of course he makes and sells your basic potions (and the pill variations) but also basically everything you'd find in your corner drug store. Bathroom products, various health related items, medicines, so on and so forth, collectively referred to as "potions" in general, hence calling it a potion shop, all made by Dark. Call it a creative stretch.

Also, since I can't think of anything people can agree upon, I've decided there will be no surnames. Characters will only have their first names. I may change this though, if anyone has any good suggestions.

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter Eight~<strong>

Link woke to the feeling of an arm wrapping around his stomach, the body attached to it resting solidly against his back. "Awake yet," Sheik asked, kissing the back of his shoulder.

"Mm, barely," he groaned, stretching and rolling onto his back. "How long have you been awake?"

Sheik rested his cheek against his chest. "Not long. I have to leave early today though. I have finals prep groups before and after class."

"Finals are still like three weeks away though," Link said, running his fingers through the golden blonde hair tickling his chest.

"Two and a half actually, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared," the slimmer man replied, smiling up at him. Then he patted him on the stomach and sat up, swinging his legs out of bed. "Come on, we'll share a shower."

Little over an hour later Link found himself standing outside Dark's shop, biting at his thumb nail while he thought about what he'd say once inside. Eventually he sighed and started up the steps, deciding to just wing it.

He found Dark perched on the stool behind the front counter, flipping through an abnormally shaped binder. "Do you know how long its been since I actually used this ledger?" he said when he heard Link come in.

"Morning to you too," Link said, hanging up his coat and standing on the opposite side of the counter, hands in his pockets. "Why don't you use a computer?"

"I haven't really thought about it," Dark replied, closing the binder and sitting up straight. "So," he continued in that parental tone he sometimes used,"you and Sheik?"

"You and Ganon," Link countered.

Dark eyed him briefly, then nodded. "Point taken. We're okay?"

Link shrugged nonchalantly. "As much as we ever are," he said, smiling. "But still, can I ask that you not do that in the shop anymore? There are some things I just don't need to think about."

"Yeah, Sheik said something along that line. I really hadn't thought about it that way before hand though. It wont happen again. Well, it'll happen again, just not here at least," Dark grinned.

Link rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Anyway, what have you got for me to do today?"

"Well, I was actually planning on going into Castle Town and doing some spying on some of the shops," Dark answered, hopping off the stool. "I've been wanting to get a foot hold in the market there, so I was thinking we could go see what kind of competition there is."

Link crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side. "What, like open a second store?"

"Eventually, maybe, but for now I just want to get some of my products into the stores there. You know, reach a wider range of customers," Dark explained while he put the ledger back under the counter.

"Should you really keep the shop closed for two days in a row," Link asked.

"I was only closed half the day yesterday. And I'm normally closed on Thursdays anyway. Didn't you notice the open light was off?"

Link glanced back at the light switch. "I hadn't noticed. So what's your plan? Talk to the shop owners, give samples? What's the goal for today?"

"Hmm," Dark mused, biting his lip. "I hadn't thought of it yet. What do you think?"

Link raised both eyebrows. "I think if we're going to drive all the way out there we should do a little more than just look. Samples would be a good idea, that way they see you have good products."

Dark tapped a finger against his lips. "Alright, makes sense." He went to the shelves and circled the room, examining the range of bottles and jars on hand. "What should we bring though? What would make the best impression?"

"Well, your health potion is some of the best I've ever had. Bring some of that," Link suggested, also going to the shelves and looking around. "Also, you make great shampoo. Maybe bring a recipe book too."

"My recipe book? Why?" Dark asked, frowning at Link over his shoulder.

Link shrugged, clinking through a few bottles and pulling down a vile filled with bubble gum purple liquid. "To show that you make more than just what we bring samples of. That you have variety. How about this one," he offered, uncorking the bottle and holding it out to Dark.

In the end they chose five different products to bring samples of, some health potion of course, some huckleberry shampoo (Link simply chose it because it was the kind Sheik used), a handful of bright green stamina pills, a topical pain relieving lotion for sore muscles, and water proof bandages that came with cooling ointment on one side to soothe burns. They separated the samples into single serving containers and tucked them carefully inside a carrying case so nothing broke or spilled on the trip, resting one of Dark's leather bound recipe books on top.

Link grabbed his coat while Dark locked up and the two headed down the nearest side street. All the side roads on this side of the street lead back into the base of the cliff, where a parking garage was built beneath the rock. Dark knew the way to his parking spot without even thinking about it and quickly lead Link to it, spinning his keys around one finger on the way there.

"This thing is still running," Link laughed when they came to Dark's navy blue wood paneled station wagon. It was probably thirty years old by now.

"Of course, it's my baby," Dark said, patting it on the roof as he unlocked the door. "I take good care of it."

Link slipped into the passenger seat, setting the case on the seat behind him. "It's older than you though. I would just assume its on its last leg by now."

Dark shrugged, turning the ignition. "It's a pretty reliable car. They knew how to make 'em back in the day," he said, slinging an arm over the passenger seat and backing out of the spot.

Once out of the garage he pulled out into the almost nonexistent late morning traffic, relaxing and flipping on the stereo to a low volume. He chose the northern road, figuring it was the shortest route, and merged on to the highway. When he'd gotten settled into a good rhythm he glanced over at Link finally, who was staring out the passenger window at the passing scenery. "What, no talking?"

Link jumped slightly and looked over at him. "Sorry, I was distracted. It's been a while since I've been out of Kakariko. What do you want to talk about?"

Dark rolled his eyes and smirked. "I don't know, what new things could possibly have entered our lives that we should talk about?"

Link realized he was referring to Sheik and Ganon "Well, what about them? You already know everything you need to about Sheik."

"Sort of, but he kind of keeps to himself. I find it hard to believe there's nothing more to him than what I already know."

"Of course there's more, but I'm not going to tell you any of it," Link said matter-of-factly.

"Oh come on. I'm you brother, you can tell me something," Dark scoffed.

Link smiled and shook his head. "No, it would be too much like gossiping. He's a relatively private person and I intend to respect that. He has a good reason for it though, I'd say. And besides you already know everything that's important. He's kind, level headed, interesting, no major emotional malfunctions. Overall pretty perfect by my standards."

Dark raised an eyebrow, still watching the road. "No emotional malfunctions? How boring," he said with a grin.

"It's good is what it is. I've never been with anyone who didn't have some kind of huge neurosis or narcissism. It's a refreshing change."

Dark laughed at that. "Yes, I'm aware of the caliber of people you've dated. Comparatively you kind of hit the jackpot with Sheik."

"Not just comparatively," Link murmured, suddenly missing the slimmer blonde young man he'd grown so accustomed to. He shook his head at himself. "I feel stupid. I just saw him like two hours ago and I miss him."

"Do you love him?" Dark asked suddenly, blurting the question out like it had just occurred to him.

Link's eye widened at him. He hadn't really thought about it yet. "It seems a bit soon for that, doesn't it? I mean, we've only been dating like two weeks. At most I'd say I'm infatuated."

Dark nodded. "Understandable. I wouldn't want you jumping into that so early anyway."

"You're one to talk," Link grumbled. "Speaking of, how are things with Ganon?"

Dark blushed furiously then, emphasizing his scarlet eyes. "Good. He spent the night last night."

"And does he not normally do this?" Link frowned.

"Nope, last night was the first time. I guess something you said made an impact."

"Not exactly the intended effect, but if you wanted him to stay then it's good I suppose... Did you want him to stay?"

His blush only deepened. "Yeah, actually. I mean at first no, but it's kind of nice having him not up and leave right afterwards." Link shook his head, shaking away the disturbing thought of what came before 'afterward'. Dark noticed. "Don't be such a child, you asked."

Link grunted. "You're just lucky I'm more discreet than you."

"What you call discreet I call easily embarrassed. I'd have to twist your arm to get you to talk about anything related to sex."

"Not true," Link complained.

"Entirely true. If not then answer me this. Are you top or bottom, because I honestly can not tell with you and Sheik."

Link gaped at him. "Seriously?"

"Yes seriously. You don't have to answer, but if you don't it only proves my point."

Link shook his head and leaned it back against the head rest, rubbing his eyes. He sighed before answering. "Fine, I'm the bottom, but it's subject to change."

Dark giggled then, an honest to god giggle. "Okay then, but that doesn't mean you're still not embarrassed."

He tilted his head and gave Dark a frustrated glare. "Of course I'm embarrassed, it's terribly inappropriate."

"That's not exactly abnormal for me though," Dark pointed out.

"Not abnormal at all," Link agreed.

For a minute there was silence again, but it quickly ended when Dark asked,"So how is he anyway?"

"Oh come on!" Link gasped, covering his face with both hands. "Are you kidding me?"

The darker twin just continued to grin. "I'm just curious. I'm not asking specifics, just a general scoring."

He groaned and dragged his hands down his cheeks. "He's good, great. Mind blowing even. Now can we please drop this subject."

"Mind blowing, huh?"

"Dark!"

"Fine, fine, I'm done. I'll leave you alone for a while," he relented, still grinning to himself.

Link huffed and shook his head, then went back to staring out the passenger window. "You can be such a pervert sometimes."

Dark chuckled. "I know. I pride myself on being able to make people uncomfortable."

"Must be great for business."

"Well that's why you're the face and I just stay in back."

"I hate to think what you did before I came along."

He shrugged. "I guess people just dealt with me because there's nowhere else in town to go. Business actually seems to have improved a bit since you started though."

Link looked over at him, slightly surprised. "How can you tell if you don't track your sales?"

"I do pay a little attention. I may not have the numbers in writing but I can tell by what's on the shelf."

Link frowned to himself. "Maybe I should start keeping stock."

"Yeah, that might help a little."

"You could've asked me to do it. I am your employee after all," he said, laughing a little.

"I'm not exactly the most diligent boss if you haven't noticed yet."

"Yeah, I noticed," Link replied with a grin.

A short time later they reached the outer edges of Castle Town's suburbs, fields of houses surrounding the original main walls of the old stone city. Cars weren't allowed within the walls, so they found a parking spot a short walk away and started the trek in on foot, both regretting not bringing umbrellas as they were quickly soaked by the rain. Just inside the walls they stopped off in a coffee shop in hopes of waiting out the rain, both shaking water off their coats. "I hope this shit stops soon," Dark grumbled, raking his hair back from his face.

"Tell me about it. You want a coffee?" Link asked as he hung his jack on the back of a tall seat.

"Sure, surprise me," he replied, taking a seat.

A few minutes later his twin returned carrying two steaming, caramel flavored drinks, plopping one down on the table in front of him. He took a sip then asked, "Where should we go first?"

"Well, are you picky about where your stuff is sold? You'll definitely make more money if you can get into one of the shops at in the main square. And were you planning on being exclusive to only one shop, or were you planning on selling from multiple places?" Link asked, setting the carrying case on the table and crossing his legs.

"I am somewhat picky since I was hoping for one of the main square shops. And exclusivity depends on what the shop owner wants. Most places want to say they have something no one else has."

"So I say try your luck and go for the main shops first, you might get lucky right away."

Dark nodded. "That's what I was thinking. Will you be coming in with me, or no?"

Link sipped his drink and thought for a moment. "I think it would be best if I didn't, that way you're not distracted and you don't have to explain why I'm there," he said eventually.

"Okay then. So you want to brave the weather again?"

Link sighed and took a look over his shoulder. The rain seemed to be letting up a bit so he agreed and stood, pulling on his still damp coat. Dark had finished his coffee so he took the case while Link still nursed his and they stepped back out into the rain.

Despite the weather the streets were still fairly crowded and they had to weave their way through the clusters of umbrella bearing pedestrians. Luckily it provided some protection from the damp though, so they weren't quite as wet as expected by the time they made it to the main square. "I think I'll go to Malo Mart first," Dark said once they'd reached the fountain, crossing his arms and looking around

"Right, I'll be over in the cafe then," Link replied, and the two veered off in separate directions.

Link found a dry seat protected from the rain by an oversized table umbrella and watched Dark disappear into the shop across the street. Figuring he had somewhat of a wait ahead of him he looked around for a moment until he spotted a stack of newspapers on the cafe counter and dashed over to grab one. He flipped it open and looked for something to read as he sat again, mostly just skimming over the pictures to see if something caught his eye.

And midway through one did. It was at the start of the Politics section, taking up a large portion of the front page, a picture of a man in a three piece suit. What caught Link's eye though was that this man looked amazingly similar to Sheik, with the same shade of yellow blonde hair and sharp, defined bone structure, the only difference being the eye color was cold gunmetal blue instead of red. For a moment Link stared, amazed by the accuracy of the family resemblance, then turned his attention to the headline. It was announcing a meeting and upcoming debate between the current mayor, Sheik's father, and his only opponent in the upcoming elections, a shorter brown haired man shown in the picture shaking hands with the blonde.

Link was midway through the article, nothing more than typical political babble he found, when he got the sudden inclination to look up. "Damn it Dark, don't do that," he snapped, nearly jumping out of his seat when he found his brother leaning over his shoulder.

"Hey, it's not my fault you didn't notice me," he replied, taking the newspaper from Link's hands and sitting in the chair next to him. "Is this guy related to Sheik?"

"Yes, it's his father," Link replied as he took the newspaper back and folded it in his lap. "Anyhow, that didn't take long," he observed, gesturing towards Malo Mart.

"Oh, yeah," Dark huffed, leaning back and lacing his hands over his stomach. "I didn't expect it to take long though, that's why I chose them first. They turned me down, but I expected that too. It turns out they don't like the idea of doing business with anyone in Kakariko, especially me."

Link nodded. A short time before Dark had opened his shop, there had been a boycott of the original Malo Mart store, due to outrage over inconsistency in prices and insufficient merchandise versus the Castle Town store. It had caused the store to go under, and in the gap before they could recover Dark had opened up his shop and squashed any possibility of them reopening. So Link understood. "I should have thought of that actually," he mumbled to himself.

Dark shrugged. "Not a big deal. It might actually make it easier to get in with the gorons," he mused, nodding towards the double doors that connected to the cafe patio.

"So what're you sitting around for? Get up, go," Link pestered, kicking him in the shin.

"Okay, knock it off, I'm going," Dark said, kicking him back before standing. "But you're explaining why Sheik's dad is in the newspaper after I get done."

"Of course," Link sighed, opening the newspaper again with a flick of his wrists.

About forty-five minutes later, after he'd read everything of interest in the newspaper and taken to people watching, Dark reemerged from the double doors, laughing and shaking hands with a large tan goron.

Still grinning, Dark came back to the table and sat on the edge of his seat, bouncing slightly. "I take it it went well?" Link asked with a smirk.

"Oh, no, it went horribly. They shot me down worse than Malo Mart," he replied, disposition becoming suddenly downcast.

"Liar," Link chuckled.

"Of course! It was great! The owner, that was him by the way, Joshua. He said they've been wanting to expand they're range of products and compete more head on with Malo Mart. He loves my stuff and was all excited when I told him about being turned down at Malo's. Of course we still have a lot of stuff to work out, make everything official, but he wants to get my stuff on the shelves as soon as possible. I'm coming back later this week for another meeting. Gah, I'm so excited!"

Link laughed. "I can tell. You're ridiculously hyper about it."

"I know, sorry," Dark said, forcing himself to still his bouncing. "I just really didn't expect to get a bite so soon, especially not at the second most reputable shop in Castle Town. It's insane!"

"It's awesome, but you don't give yourself enough credit."

Dark just continued to grin and started bouncing again. "I guess not. Anyway, what do you say we go home and celebrate?"

In his excitement Dark sped on the drive back and they made it back to Kakariko in a fraction of the time. After he'd found his spot again, the two went straight to Bomskitz, both sitting at the bar and promptly ordering beers.

At some point, a good four beers in, Link got up and went to the bathroom, leaving his phone on the bar next to Dark since he had an unfortunate habit of dropping it on the floor in just about every public restroom he entered. Dark had his glass tipped up, draining the last few dregs of his drink, when he was startled by a sudden buzzing noise. He looked down and found Link's phone had an incoming call, skittering across the bar top since it was on vibrate. For a moment he considered ignoring it, but he quickly got annoyed by the noise and picked it up to check who was calling. He found Sheik's name scrolling across the screen and almost laughed when he noticed the picture that went along with it: Sheik laying on his back with his arms folded behind his head, shirt-less, hair mussed, and taken at a downward angle where Link was clearly sitting on his waist.

Hardly thinking twice, he hit the green button and answered. "Hey Sheik! What's up?"

There was a moment of silence, then,"Dark? Why are you answering Link's phone?"

"He's in the bathroom. How'd you know it was me?" Dark answered as the bartender set another beer down in front of him. He nodded his thanks.

"Twins you may be, but your speech patterns are different. Where are you guys anyway?"

"At Bomskitz, celebrating. We went in to Castle Town today, I'm selling my stuff in the goron shop there now."

"That's great. So I'm assuming you guys are drunk by now?"

"Yes, yes we are," Dark answered pointedly. "Nice picture by the way, on Link's phone, for your incoming call. The naked one. Very nice."

Again there was silence, then after a few seconds, "If I remember correctly that's only from the waist up, so not technically naked. Unless of course Link's been taking pictures when I'm not looking."

Dark laughed out loud. "No, waist up only. It's a good picture though."

"Thanks. Belive it or not he actually made me pose. Arranged the lighting and everything."

"Who're you talking too," Link asked then, suddenly reappearing on the stool to Dark's right.

He lowered the phone quickly, startled, then handed it over with a smirk. "Sheik. I figured you'd want me to answer it."

Link frowned and took the phone. "Hey," he said, then smiled without thinking at the sound of Sheik's voice. Dark couldn't hear the other half of the conversation, but something Sheik said made Link blush. "I wouldn't call it a photo shoot, it's just a camera phone... Just four...Yeah, probably in about an hour...Okay, I'll see you in a bit...Bye." He hung up the phone and smiled down at the screen for a moment, before looking up and scowling comically at his brother.

"Hey, don't glare at me. If you don't want people seeing half naked pictures of your boyfriend you shouldn't have it for your incoming call photo. Or your background for the matter," he said, noticing that the same picture was also set as the background.

Link looked back down at the screen for a moment and smiled again. "Well it's more for my enjoyment than anything else. And you should make sure you never look in my pictures. There are things in the I'm sure you never want to see."

Dark choked on his beer at that. "Thanks for the warning," he gasped, wiping his chin with his sleeve.

"No problem," he laughed, then downed a good part of his drink. "I'm probably going to head home in a bit though," he said to Dark then. "Not that I don't want to celebrate or anything..."

Dark rolled his eyes. "Link, I know exactly what you're going home for, it's understandable. You're actually freeing me up to go get Ganon and 'celebrate' in my own way." Link was too buzzed to care about the innuendo just then, so he ignored it, finished his beer and ordered another.

About a half hour later Link left the bar, leaving Dark to wander off and find Ganon, and realized just how difficult it really was to climb all the steps up to his apartment when he was intoxicated. Eventually though he made it to the top and to his door. He cleaned up a bit, changing his clothes and washing his face, then left his apartment again and went to Sheik's, letting himself in without knocking.

Sheik was sitting on the couch with his feet propped up, computer balanced on his lap while he flipped through channels on the television. He looked up when Link entered and smiled. "Hey, you're earlier than I thought you'd be, not that I mind."

Link smiled back and closed the door. "I wanted to see you," he said, going to the couch and curling up next to him. "How was your study group?" he asked then, resting his head on Sheik's shoulder.

"Nothing new, I've been with the same group since I started school. How many beers did you drink anyway?"

"Five and a half." He lifted his head back up. "Do I smell like beer?"

"A little, I don't mind though," Sheik shrugged, closing his laptop and leaning forward to set it on the coffee table.

Link slipped into the gap behind him and wrapped his arms around his stomach, resting his cheek on Sheik's back. "I was talking to Dark about you earlier today. It made me miss you."

Sheik looked back over his shoulder. "You're awfully affectionate tonight," he said, smiling and twisting around so they were face to face. "Didn't I just see you this morning though?"

"That's what I was thinking. Silly, right?" Then Link gave him a sulky expression, but didn't say anything else.

Sheik reached up and pushed the bangs out of Link's face. "Don't pout at me," he insisted. "You know perfectly well I missed you."

Link rolled his eyes but smiled anyway. "Good. Now enough of this mushiness, lets go to bed," he said, standing and heading for the bedroom.

"Really? It's not even nine yet," Sheik called after him. He heard Link laugh in the other room.

"I said bed, not sleep."

Sheik grinned and followed, finding a naked Link borrowing into the bed covers. "You're definitely being more affectionate tonight. I hope this isn't just the alcohol."

A head of blonde hair appeared on the other side of the bed. "Maybe it is. Does it matter?" he asked, smiling and propping himself up on his elbows.

Sheik turned and fell backwards onto the bed, sprawling out in the free space next Link. "Not really, but out of curiosity, if we sleep together when you're drunk and I'm sober, am I taking advantage of you?"

Link laughed and pushed the covers away. "I'm pretty sure we'd be doing something like this whether I was drunk or not," he said, then moved so he was straddling the slimmer mans hips. "And either way, I'm not that drunk."

Sheik shook his head and sat up, wrapping his arms around Link's neck and kissing him deeply. After a moment he broke away and gave Link a speculative look. "I think you're plenty drunk," he stated. Link huffed and simply turned his attention downward, biting him on the shoulder lightly. "But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt," he murmured, leaning his head back slightly and dropping one of his hands to Link's thigh.

Then Link yelped as he was unexpectedly pushed out of Sheik's lap and onto his back. The roles were reversed then as Sheik perched above him, a leg on either side of his hips, and pinned his hands above his head. He squirmed a bit to try and get free, but in the end just relaxed and stared expectantly up at the other blonde.

For a moment Sheik simply stared down at him, admiring the luscious sight Link made, then smiled impishly as a thought came to him. "I think," he began slowly, "that I'd like to try something new tonight."

Link looked up at him, wide eyed as an anticipatory tingle ran over his skin. "What exactly," he asked excitedly.

"Let it be a surprise," he said teasingly, letting go of Link's hands to sit up and pull his shirt off.

With his hands freed Link took the opportunity to sit up and run his hands up Sheik's rib cage, thumbs brushing over flushed nipples, then up to tangle gently in ruffled golden hair. "I don't like surprises," he mumbled, brushing his lips against the other's.

"Oh, you'll like this one. Trust me," he insisted, pulling Link's hands from his hair and pushing him back down.

Link watched curiously then as Sheik climbed off of him and stood, pulling his jeans and underwear down in one move, before going to the bedside table and pulling out a familiar black bottle. He shook the bottle a few times as he took his place again by Link's side, scooting up against his hip and kissing him on the collar bone. "We're running kind of low on lube," he observed between kisses as he made his way up the pale skin of Link's throat.

"Hmm, I wonder why," Link murmured, smiling and trailing his fingers up Sheik's arm.

"Oh, I think I have a good idea," Sheik said suggestively as he sat up long enough to squeeze some into his hand. Then he leaned down and kissed the blue eyed blonde firmly and grabbed his still partially soft erection.

Link gasped against his mouth at the suddenness of it and the unfortunately low temperature of the lubricant. It quickly warmed though and soon enough he was completely hard and arching up into the touch. Sheik kissed him everywhere as he stroked, mouth running over every inch of bare skin, leaving small marks along his neck and chest. Then he came to amazingly taut nipples and licked one, making Link writhe and whimper needily. Finally he moved back up and kissed him on the lips, deliberately soft despite both of their growing needs. Link laced his fingers through Sheik's hair though and pushed up into the kiss, increasing the pressure and moaning eagerly. Sheik thumbed the tip then, repeating the motion until Link broke away with a gasp, lips parted against the other's and breathing shakily. Then he moaned and dropped his head back on to the pillows, eyes closed, letting go of Sheik to grab a hold of the pillows above his head in an effort to restrain himself. But suddenly, when he felt like he was about to burst, the touch went away and the mattress next to him shifted as Sheik moved.

When he opened his eyes he gasped at the sight that greeted him. Sheik had moved so he was on his knees, one on either side of his waist, lifted carefully so he wasn't touching any part of Link. He had the bottle of lube and was squeezing more into his hand when he noticed Link staring with a slightly confused look on his face. Sheik smiled down at him then twisted slightly so he could reach his member again and smooth the lube over it, making his eyes flutter closed for a moment. His expression only became more confused though when Sheik's hand left him again, wiping the slick substance off his hand on his discarded t-shirt before planting it firmly on Link's stomach to brace himself. Then he reached down and grabbed the base of Link's erection again carefully and guided it so the head rested against his entrance.

Then, with his eyes closed and both hands on Link's stomach, he slowly slid down. Link let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and groaned long and low, hands gripping Sheik's thighs desperately, trying not to thrust up for fear of hurting the other. Then skin met skin as Sheik reached the base with a satisfied moan, shoulders hunching slightly and moving his hands up Link's chest. He sighed and opened his eyes, smiling at the look of clouded delirium on Link's face. Then he started moving, a slow rise and fall to begin with, and Link couldn't help but arch his hips up, meeting every movement with one of his own. He had never felt anything so amazing.

Sheik rocked faster as he got more used to the penetration, angling his hips until Link brushed against that wonderful spot that made his skin tingle and stomach tighten. He cried out and leaned back so it happened again, holding on to Link's thigh with one hand so he wouldn't fall back. With his prostate being repeatedly stuck he couldn't control his voice, nearly screaming with every move. He brought his free hand up and through his hair, pushing it back from his face and weaving his fingers in it tightly. Beneath him Link could only hold on to the headboard and gasp, breaths and moans mingling with Sheik's as they both neared climax. Sheik's movements became more sporadic, forcefully riding Link as his need built, losing himself to the feeling until finally, eyes snapping wide, orgasm came. He saw white and cried out Link's name, back arching, until finally he collapsed on top of his lover.

When he finally woke again he wasn't sure how much time had passed, just that he was sticky and extremely relaxed. The sweat had cooled on his skin and he shivered as he pushed himself up, smiling when the body underneath him groaned and shifted. "That was amazing," Link mumbled, stretching.

Sheik moved and laid back down beside him, resting his head on Link's shoulder. "Hmm, very much so," he sighed.

"What time is it," Link asked eventually, lifting his head up slightly to look around.

Sheik pushed himself up and stretched out towards to bedside table, practically pulling himself back on top of Link in order to reach his phone. "Eleven thirty five," he said when he finally got a hold of it. Then he settled back in to place with his head next to Link's on the pillows.

He had almost fallen back asleep when Link spoke again, his tone quiet and heavy with sleep. "I read an article about your dad in the newspaper today by the way."

"Oh? What was it about?" Sheik asked, curious but still half asleep.

"Something about a debate. I think I left it down in Dark's car." Sheik hummed in response. "You look just like him," Link added. Sheik opened his eyes at that and lifted his head up to look at Link. "Except the eyes of course."

"I have my mother's eye," Sheik explained. "It's the only thing any of her children got from her."

"Is there more than just Zelda?" Link asked, realizing he didn't know if Sheik had any other siblings.

"Mhmm, my older sister Impa. She has red eyes too. I don't have any pictures, otherwise I'd show you."

"Why no family pictures?" Link groaned he stretched and rolled onto his side so he was facing Sheik rather than looking at the ceiling.

He shrugged one shoulder. "No reason really. All the family albums are just back home. Not that I have any burning desire to have pictures of my family around. Though I suppose I should have one of Impa, she's the only cool one."

Link smiled, then asked. "So I guess you talk to her more than the others?"

"I would, be she doesn't have a phone most of the time. She's an archaeologist. She was doing a dig out in the Gerudo Dessert last I checked."

Link arched his eyebrows. "That's pretty interesting. You should really have at least one picture though," he said.

Sheik rolled his eyes but smiled. "Maybe. Might I point out though you don't exactly have a bunch of pictures of your family lying around."

Link smiled but Sheik failed to notice to wistful edge to it. "I don't need any pictures of Dark around my place, I see enough of him as it is."

Sheik shook his head. "The rest of your family, duh."

The soft smiled slipped from Link's face then and he looked at Sheik sorrowfully. "Dark is my family," he said, his expression keeping the other silent. "My only family."

Sheik thought for a moment then his brow furrowed and he pushed himself up so he was sitting. He stared, waiting for some kind of change, but there was none. "You're serious?" he whispered.

Link nodded and sat up too, pulling the blanket up so it covered their nudity. "Dark and I grew up in an orphanage down in Ordon," he explained.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Sheik asked, concern clear in his voice.

Link shook his head and smiled reassuringly. "It never seemed relevant."

"We talk about my family all the time, why not then?"

He snorted. "And say what? At least you have a family? I'm not like that Sheik."

Sheik smiled fondly and reached up to cup his cheek gently. "I know. Thank you for that. I just wish you had said something."

Link shrugged. "I did, just now. I never tell anyone about it though, so don't worry too much."

"Be glad you told me at all, huh?" Sheik said, smiling. Link just smiled back and kissed him gently then rested his forehead against the other's.

"We have to get up early," Link murmured.

"Time for bed then," Sheik said, pulling him down quickly and turning off the bed side light before snuggling them under the covers.

"Night Sheik," Link murmured.

"Hmm, goodnight."


	9. Chapter 9

**~Chapter Nine~**

The sound of screeching tires filled his ears, followed by the sickening feeling of the car lurching, thrown out of its steady forward motion by some unseen force. Then bone jarring pain as they collided with another object, more unmoving than their own. For a moment he hoped it had ended, but then they were hit again, car sent spinning back into the road, facing the wrong way. From this position they were like sitting ducks, and it was only a matter of time before someone hit them again, this time head on. Wrenching metal was deafening, engine catching fire with a roar. Somewhere near by a woman screamed, high keening cries that could only mean pain. To his left a child wailed, his own terror mirrored in the noise. Rain seeped down his back from the shattered back windshield while flames crept over the car, easing closer. There was nothing he could do. They were all trapped.

Dark's eyes snapped opened, staring up at the blankness of his ceiling. For a moment he lie perfectly still, nerves on end from his dream, muscles still tensed in fear. His heart beat wildly, still not convinced the danger wasn't real. Slowly he relaxed, easing back down into the mattress and closing his eyes again. He brought his hands up and rubbed at his face, groaning quietly to himself. It had been years since he'd had that dream. Why now, he wondered.

"What's wrong with you?" a voice asked out of the darkness, and he couldn't help but jump slightly. He still wasn't entirely used to waking up next to someone.

"Nothing, I just had a bad dream," he murmured, still staring at the ceiling.

Ganon was silent for a moment, listening, then said. "Sounds more like a nightmare. I can hear you heart beating."

Dark turned his head and looked at the vague shape next to him, smiling a little even though it couldn't be seen. "Yeah, a nightmare," he agreed. "But it's not important, go back to sleep." He finished through a yawn, then stretched one last time before settling back down.

Dark was sure Ganon stared for a moment, maybe waiting for something else, but then he felt the other man shrug and lay down again. He listened to the sound of their combined breathing, calmed again as it coaxed him back towards sleep.

Then, shortly before falling away he felt it, movement, then a hand and forearm resting on his stomach. It didn't pull him closer or bring anything up against him, it just rested there, warm and comforting in its weight. He smiled and drifted off to sleep, blissful and dreamless this time.

In the morning Ganon rolled away from him wordlessly and put his feet on the floor, stretching his arms above his head before standing. Dark followed suit shortly after, helping him retrieve articles of clothing strewn around the room. They were always a frantic mess when they got naked, and clothing ended up everywhere. It was quite the task to find the missing pieces sometimes, and once Ganon had had to go home without underwear because they just couldn't find them. They managed to find everything this time though, and he handed over his portion with an amused smirk.

It slipped away though when he noticed the way Ganon was looking at him, eyes narrowed, watching him like something to be studied. "What?" he asked, tone slightly more harsh than intended, bending to pick up his pajama bottoms and slip them on.

Ganon shook his head and pulled on his underwear and jeans. "I couldn't sleep last night," he said after a moment. Dark frowned at that, but his question was answered before he could ask. "No, there's no reason why, some nights it just happens. Did you know you talk in your sleep?"

Dark's eyes widened. "No. I mean I did when I was younger, but I didn't know I still do it." And then he got suspicious. "Why? Did I say something last night?"

Ganon cocked his head to the side. "Nothing really coherent, something about your mom, and your brother I think. And I'm pretty sure you said something about fire. What was your nightmare about?"

Dark scowled and walked out into living room, heading for the kitchen. This is why he didn't normally have people stay the night. Something uncomfortable like this always happened eventually. "Why do you care," he grumbled, grabbing the milk carton from the fridge and drinking deeply.

"I'm more curious than anything," Ganon said, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. Dark put the carton back in the fridge and frowned again as he walked past him to the bathroom. Ganon watched him round the corner out of sight. "And maybe a little concerned," he added to the empty room. "Most people, even when they have bad dreams, don't wake up in a state of panic like that."

Dark froze at that, caught off guard. Then he scowled and came back around the corner, crossing his arms and facing the infuriatingly casual man at a distance. "Last I checked, this situation isn't one where we show concern for the other. And if you don't like how I wake up then you don't have to sleep here."

Ganon stared at him blankly for a moment, then his lips quirked up into a smirk. "You're right," he said, then turned and grabbed his coat, leaving through the front door without another word.

Dark gaped after him, mildly dumbfounded, expression one of complete disbelief. Then his face fell and he brought a hand up to rub at his forehead, feeling the start of headache coming on. "Idiot," he hissed, and he wasn't sure if he meant it about Ganondorf, or about himself.

An hour later found him bent over a vat of bubbling red liquid, stirring patiently until the thermometer clipped to the side of the pot registered the proper temperature. Once it did he lowered the flame and added in a pile of minced deku baba sprouts and placed a lid on top. The potion would need to be simmered for another few hours before he'd be satisfied with it's quality enough to send it off to the Gorons. But that left down time. And down time meant thinking time. So in an attempt to escape his own thoughts he pulled out another massive copper pot and quickly set to work on another potion, this time blue, and let his mind focus solely on work.

It went on like this for days, four to be exact. It got a little better when Link was there to distract him, but he still managed to create quite a surplus of potions, stacking rundlets in every available corner of the back room, and some even up front behind the counter. Link didn't fail to notice.

"So, running the risk of having my head bitten off here, but what's with the all the potion? Did we get an order from the Gorons I didn't here about?" he asked, trying to sound casual as Dark stacked another barrel next to the counter.

"Uhm," he started, standing up straight and running fingers through his hair. "No, but there's nothing wrong with having enough in stock. I'll probably drive a few of these out to Castle Town in a few days."

"Ah. Well you should probably slow down a little, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Maybe make some capsules out of these, or salves," Link suggested as he scribbled something in the ledger.

"Thoughtless busy work," Dark grumbled sullenly, slouching against the wall with his arms crossed. "You're the manager, don't you have anything else for me to do?"

"Manager?" Link laughed. "You're the owner, you're supposed to tell me what to do, not the other way around."

"Not technically. You're the manager, you manage things. So manage me."

Link sighed and let his head fall back to stare at the ceiling. "Well, the ledgers all up to date," he said, looking down again to pat the binder a few times. "Everything is dusted and organized, we're stocked up on most products. I try to stay on the ball, so other than what I already suggested there's not much to be done. I'm expecting a rush here in about half an hour or so, so you're welcome to help customers if you want."

Dark wrinkled his nose. "So it's a choice between potentially offending people, or doing busy work for the rest of the day?" Link just smiled pleasantly in response. "Fine, I'll make capsules, at least that's time consuming," he breathed and pushed off the wall. He shuffled into the back room and halfheartedly went about pulling out supplies.

He didn't get far though before Link got his attention again, calling out from the front room. "So are you ever going to tell me what's wrong, or are you just going to keep stewing and acting moody?"

Dark paused his work and thought about an answer. "What makes you think something's wrong?"

"Oh, come on," Link scoffed, sliding off his stool and going to stand just outside the doorway. "I get liking your work, but this borders on obsessive. So what's going on?"

"Just...stupid stuff," Dark groaned, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I said something really stupid to Ganon and we haven't talked in like five days. I know we weren't actually a couple, I get that, but it feels a hell of a lot like getting dumped."

Link frowned and considered the situation. "Well, not to ask an obvious question, but have you called him? I mean, if you started it shouldn't you be the one to fix it?"

Dark scowled at his twin. "I thought you didn't like Ganon, why are trying to get me back with him?"

Link shrugged one shoulder and had the decency to look abashed. "Well, he's not my favorite person in the world, but you obviously like him enough to care about saying stupid things. I don't think you've ever given that much of a shit, and there's something to say for that." Then the bell above the door jingled and Link glanced over his shoulder. "I've got to go," he said. "But think about it, and talk to him."

"Yeah, yeah," Dark huffed. "When did you get more common sense than me?"

"Always had it," the blonde chuckled and headed back to work.

That evening, after Link went home, Dark decided to take his brother's word and go talk to Ganon. So he cleaned up and shut everything down, then wandered his way nervously to Barnes Bombs. It was late, but he was hoping Ganon was still there. And luckily the lights were still on, which was a good sign.

But as he was heading for stairs Dark heard the murmur of voices and a brief, feminine giggle coming from the alley way along side the bomb shop, just before the man he was looking for rounded the corner with a girl on his arm. Dark raised an eye brow and cocked his head to the right, crossing his arms and observing the couple until they noticed his presence. He couldn't quite hear what they were saying though, but obviously it was amusing because when Ganon finally looked over at him there was a smile on his face. It didn't so much as slip away then, rather it instantly turned into a tight lipped frown as he guided the girl over so they stood in front of Dark.

After a brief, and almost painful silence Ganon spoke. "What's up?" he asked expectantly.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you, but it seems like you're busy," Dark said, eyes flicking to the girl for a moment. She had the same basic coloring as Ganon, red hair pulled back in a braid, naturally tan skin, and bright golden yellow eyes. And Dark couldn't help but notice she was stacked.

Ganon looked at her too, then back to Dark. "This is Nabooru, we went to the same school in Gerudo, she transfered here last quarter. Nabooru, this is Dark."

She smiled and held out a hand. "Interesting name. Nice to meet you."

He nodded and shook the offered appendage. "Yeah, you too."

There was another pause in which everyone looked between each other uncomfortably, until Ganon sighed. "Nabooru, you go on ahead, get us a table. I'll meet you there." She looked up at him and nodded, then turned and sauntered away, leaving the two men facing each other.

Once alone Ganon looked at Dark expectantly, who had watched Nabooru walk away with a confused expression. "Well?" he asked.

Dark forced his gaze back to him. "Well I was going to apologize, but now I'm not so sure about that. Who is she?"

"I told you who she is," the red head replied. Dark just stared at him, expression clearly unconvinced. Ganon rolled his eyes and looked away, above the shorter man's head. "She's technically my girl friend."

It wasn't really a surprise. "Ah." he said, shoving his hands in his coat pockets. He took a breath to say something else, but saying 'see you later' didn't seem right. So he shook his head and simply walked away. And Ganon didn't stop him.


	10. Chapter 10

**Two chapters in two days? What is this madness?**

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><p><strong>~Chapter Ten~<strong>

Dark sat in his hanging basket seat, staring at the TV but not really watching. He was dressed for the day, minus shoes and a coat, but now had nowhere to go. He'd gone down to work, despite it being a day the shop was normally closed, but Link had been there waiting for him.

"Aren't you supposed to be in class?" he'd grumbled when he found his blonde counter part sitting out front.

Link smiled up at him, the picture of pleasantry. "Finals start today, so class starts later. Give me your keys," he said, holding out an open palm.

Dark held the keys behind his back defensively. "Why?"

"Because you're not supposed to be here today. There's nothing for you to do, we have enough potions. So go home. You need a day off." For a moment Dark considered say no, but then Link pulled the manager card. "You said I'm supposed to manage you, so that's what I'm doing. Come on," he said, pushing his hand out a little further.

He made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat, barely resisting the urge to stomp his foot, but handed over the keys anyway. Link fiddled around and removed the shop key before handing them back. "I'll come over tonight to give it back. We'll talk then."

Dark had agreed and they parted ways, and now Dark was in his basket, one leg folded under and the other hanging down so he could push himself back and forth. He was trying to think of something to do with his day, but it really was shocking how few hobbies he had. His work had turned into his hobby, or vice versa. And his days off normally matched up with Ganon's, so he managed to keep busy. Did sex count as a hobby?

Eventually he picked a program to watch that would be distracting enough and moved to the couch. It was one of those educational shows that didn't really teach you anything but had a lot of cool computer animated dinosaurs eating each other.

He was laying on his stomach, smiling because a pterodactyl had tried to steal an egg and gotten attacked by a t-rex, when there was a knock at the front door. He frowned and pushed himself up enough to grab his phone and check the time. It was just before noon, and there was only one person he could think of that would be knocking on his door in the middle of the day.

So he pushed himself off the couch, flipping over and thudding to the ground on his butt before standing up properly. He checked the peephole and found he'd guessed correctly, then put on a deliberately impatient face and answered the door. "What?" he asked, sure to emphasize the lack of enthusiasm he felt. Ganondorf scoffed and pushed past him without saying anything, going to sit on the couch. Dark gave him an indignant look. "No, please, come in. Make yourself at home," he snapped, closing the door with a sharp flick of the wrist. "What the hell do you want?"

Ganon was staring at the television, watching the dinosaur show. "You watch these things?"

Dark ignored the attempt at casual conversation. "Yeah, I do. Now what do you want?"

Ganon groaned and leaned forward on the couch, running fingers through wavy red hair before putting his elbows on his knees and resting his cheek on his palm. His expression wasn't entirely pleased. "This is stupid, you know," he stated. Dark glanced at the TV, but the other continued. "Not the show, this fighting, the misunderstandings. These things that seem to be standard with dating these days. I don't like any of it. In fact, I fucking hate it. Its why I only go for the sex. I don't get why everything has to be so damn dramatic anymore."

Dark glared at him, arms crossed tightly across his chest. "You do realize you brought up this dramatic shit right? I was fine with letting everything lie. You weren't."

The red head almost looked pained by the observation. "I know."

"So why'd you have to poke holes?"

"I don't know. I hadn't gotten enough sleep and wasn't thinking straight?"

Dark made a small scoffing noise. "So what, for you not thinking straight equates to acting like a caring person?"

"Apparently," he huffed. "I seem to care, at least subconsciously."

Dark rolled his eyes."I have a hard time believing that. It took you, what, five days to start dating someone new, maybe less. That just screams caring doesn't it?"

Ganon's temper flared suddenly and he stood, no longer trying to act casual. "Okay, we need to get something straight here. We're either dating or we're not. You can't be my fuck buddy in one breath and a jealous boyfriend in the next. Either you answer me when I ask you what's wrong, or I'm allowed to date whoever the hell I want without you getting pissy. You can't have both Dark."

"I think you're forgetting a third option," he snapped, already volatile mood elevated by the other man's anger.

"Enlighten me then," Ganon snapped.

"I can be nothing."

For an impossibly long moment red and gold eyes weighed one another, both trying to see past whatever anger and grasp at something more. But in the end Ganon looked away, taking a deep breath through his nose. "I don't know what I want, but I know that's not it."

Dark was finally exhausted. "Then I don't know what to do here. The problem lies with you. How I act depends on what we are, and I can go either way. So decide what it is you want, and get back to me when you finally do."

With that Dark walked around the statuesque Gerudo and to his room. Ganon spoke just before he managed to close the door though. "By the way, Nabooru and I, we only pretend to date to keep our parents happy. She likes girls, and I like guys. We're just friends. You never really gave me a chance to explain that."

He nodded. He'd known for a while that Ganon wasn't out to his family, it was part of the reason they kept things toned down publicly. But the knowledge didn't help. His chest still ached. "Its good to know, but it doesn't really change anything." The door closed behind him with a soft click.

Ganon sighed into the empty living room. "I know it doesn't."

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I'm nearly done with chapter eleven, just to give you guys a heads up. And its nice and fluffy happy, unlike these last two bits. Not to mention its LinkxSheik focused. I've been on a freaking roll the last week. But I don't want to post it terribly soon, because I'm hoping to get a chapter or two ahead. However, a nice review or two might change my mind about that. This has been a-not-so-subtle-hint.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: **Okay, so I was writing chapter eleven, and its nearly done, but it felt like it was missing something. So I wrote this scene to tie the two chapters together, and let is stand by itself because it doesn't really fit well being in eleven. So the happy LinkxSheik chapter is now chapter twelve. I'll post that sometime soon-ish. Anyway, read, enjoy, review, all that good stuff.

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><p><strong>~Chapter Eleven~<strong>

Dark was drunk. Very drunk. Like black out, puking, drunk dial drunk. And Link had been the one he'd called.

It was three in the morning when he got the call, shrill ringer jerking both him and Sheik out of a dead sleep. He never got calls at that hour so his stomach instantly dropped, but was a little relieved when he saw it was just his brother and not some potentially unknown number saying there'd been an accident.

"Dark? What's going on?" he grumbled, awake but trying very hard not to be. A tumbled line of giberish was all he got in response though. "Wait, stop, slow down. I can't understand you." More gibberish, then something about being sorry he'd woken them. Then he asked if Link could come over.

He sighed and rubbed sleep from his eyes. "Sure, I'll be over in like fifteen minutes."

"Thanks Link," he mumbled, then they both hung up.

Sheik was watching him with one eye, the other half of his face buried in the pillow. "Dark okay?" he asked, voice still thick with sleep.

"Not sure. He's drinking, but he wouln't ask me to come over if it weren't important," Link said through a yawn, standing to gather the clothes he'd been wearing before bed. "Probably wont see you until tonight after work."

"Its okay, go see if he's all right, I'll see you tonight," the half-asleep man murmured.

Link smiled at him and bent down, brushing his hair back and kissing him on the forehead. Then he grabbed his keys and was out the door.

A short walk later he was climbing the steps to Dark's apartment, searching for the right key on his ring. He didn't want to risk waking him if Dark had managed to fall asleep.

But he hadn't. He was wide awake, sitting on the floor in front of the television, an empty absinthe glass held loosely in his fingers as he watched the screen. Link managed to close the door and take his shoes off before Dark noticed he was there, only turning around when he heard the click as he hung up his jacket. "Oh you're here," he exclaimed, words slurred. "Come here and look at what these people are doing."

Link did so, standing behind his brother and watching some strange late night show. There was a tub of some white substance with two people arm deep in it. "What is that?"

"Corn starch and water. I can't figure out why."

He shook his head and grabbed the remote, changing it to the weather channel so Dark wouldn't be so focused on it. Then he grabbed him by the arm and hefted him up, taking the empty glass and setting it on the table before guiding them to the couch.

"Absinthe, huh?" he asked once they were both sitting. Or at least one was sitting. The other was in the process of squirming down to his side to lie down.

"Yeah, it gets the job done," he answered, eyes sliding closed.

Link looked down at him for a moment then asked,"Dark, why'd you call me over."

"Don't want to be alone," he mumbled.

"You don't normally drink like this though. What's going on?"

Dark was silent for a long time, and for a while Link was sure he'd fallen asleep, but then he spoke, slow and resigned. "Ganon dumped me. I was going to apologize, you remember. But then everything went to shit and we had a fight."

"Wow," Link said, genuinely surprised. "I really thought you guys would make it. What happened?"

"Yeah, me too," he sighed. "He just couldn't decide what we were supposed to be, so I told him to talk to me when he did. And he hasn't, so I guess that's my answer."

"Well, he could st-"

"Please don't say it Link," Dark stopped him. "I can't get my hopes up again."

So he stopped, simply shaking his head. "I'm sorry Dark, I really am."

"Yeah right," he snorted. "You never liked him."

"He wasn't that bad. And I'd rather see you happy with someone I don't like than see you like this."

He nodded and tightened his arms around himself, eyes tearing up. Quiet, and a little broken, soaking into the fabric of the couch. Link's heart broke at the sight.

"I just don't understand why it had to happen," Dark choked out, breath shuddering.

And in the face of all that pain all Link could think to do was make him another drink. Sometimes there's nothing else to be done.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: **I kind of feel like there's not a lot of plot in this chapter, but oh well.

* * *

><p><strong><span>~Chapter Eleven~<span>**

Finals meant it was already late fall on Death Mountain, which meant the whether was cold. Being December it could almost be called winter. So that morning Sheik had decided to wear a ushanka to school. It was white wolfos fur, soft all over with flaps to keep his ears warm, and it made him incredibly easy to spot. Everyone else was wearing monotone color beanies in black or navy blues, or no hats at all, so all Link had to do was look for the one head adorned in fluffy white fur. And lo-and-behold there was his boyfriend, sitting on a bench on the side of the square, oblivious to Link's approach.

"You know I could scare you if I wanted to," Link said when he came up behind the other and ran his fingers through the fur.

Sheik still jumped a little from the warning but was smiling anyway when he leaned his head back to look at Link. "I waited an hour for you and you would actually scare me?"

He smiled as he swung a leg over the bench and sat too. "I said could, not would."

"Hm, I was startled but I supposed I can forgive you," Sheik smiled, then leaned in and kissed him. It was chaste by their usual standards, but Link blushed anyway. He was always more shy in public. "Mm, cute," Sheik murmured and kissed him again, far more deeply. It tightened things low in Link's body, making him shift closer and momentarily forget his awkwardness.

But then Sheik pulled away, a smirk on his face. "I love that you forget we're in public for me. But we've developed a bit of an audience."

Link looked around and turned deep red when he realized it was true. Most everyone didn't pay them any mind, but a couple younger girls, likely highschoolers touring colleges, were gawking. They giggled and scurried away when the saw they were caught, but Link was still several shades of red. Sheik smiled at him fondly. "You want to head home?" the fur-adorned man asked.

"Yes please," he said with a breathless laugh.

They made their way unhurriedly down the mountain, fingers laced together, talking about their days. Sheik's tests for the day went off without a hitch and he expected to pass with flying colours. But he had two more classes left to do in the next two days, one he was a bit unsure of, so they'd see how things would go. Link's finals had all been on the same day, so he was done but still had to wait for the results. It would be another week before final grades were posted to transcripts, so they'd have to wait and suffer until then. But they both expected to at least pass.

By the time they'd made it home, at their somewhat slower pace, the sky was turning a deep shade of mauve. They went to their separate apartments first, Link had to drop of his bag and change into clothes that didn't have the day on them. He was quick though, so Sheik was still preping everything for dinner. "You need any help?"

Sheik glanced over his should and smiled. "No, thanks. I'm just doing something simple tonight. No help needed here. You're night to pick what we watch though."

Link nodded and flopped onto the couch. He decided to check if anything were on TV first before going through the disks, and ended up finding a drama he'd seen before and liked. It hadn't started yet and was on a commercial free station so he figured it was as good a choice as any and flicked to the channel. Not long after Sheik brought out two plates of food and curled next to him on the couch. It was perfect timing, the opening credits began rolling almost as soon as they were settled in, and Sheik was instantly engrossed. He ate with his eyes locked on the screen, only briefly looking away to smile at Link when he later took the empty plates into the kitchen to do the dishes.

When he came back to the living room he found Sheik with his feet propped up and a pillow on his lap. He had removed the tie from his hair now that they were done eating, and his hair had grown long enough to brush against his shoulders in spots.

They'd developed a ritual over time. Sheik would cook dinner, they alternated nights with who picked what they watched, then they ate and Link would clean everything up. When he got back Sheik would have his favorite watching position ready, pillow on his lap so Link could lay down and rest his head.

Eventually Sheik's fingers found their way to his scalp. He loved the feel of Sheik's hands running through his hair, the absentminded toying was the best indicator for whether or not he was enjoying a movie. Link smiled up at him, happy that he'd been able to pick something interesting.

Link however quickly lost interest in the movie, he'd just seen it one too many times, and it was easy to find another way to entertain himself. Sheik's stomach was inches from his face, and it was like hard candy, delicious and wonderful to the tongue. So he turned his face into it, nuzzling for a bit until he pulled the fabric up and lips met skin. Sheik flinched a bit, startled, but kept his eyes on the screen. He'd never seen the movie and was genuinely interested in the plot, so Link was left to his own entertainment for a little longer. He licked around the belly button, the one he still thought was absolutely perfect, then down to the hem of his silky basketball shorts. They rode low, ending far enough down that a small bit of golden hair was visible, and Link licked all the way to it. And just that small promise of things to come made muscles tighten, on both of them. "I am watching this you know," Sheik murmured, but he didn't sound terribly bothered.

Link pulled away enough to say, "Keep watching, I don't mind," before moving back up and nudging the shirt higher. He put a hand on the cushion next to them so he could sit up to reach more and cupped a hand around Sheik's rib cage. He brought his mouth to a nipple and ran his lips over it. Just lips, a light simple touch, but it made the other take a sharp breath through his nose and let it out slow. He must really like the movie.

So Link made it his job to distract him. Slowly though. He circled the areola with his tongue, enjoying the texture as the delicate skin reacted. He licked the nipple teasingly several times before returning to circling, but Sheik's heart rate picked up and he knew the desired effect had been achieved. Encouraged, he closed his lips over it and sucked gently and dragged his nails over skin, just hard enough to excite.

At that Sheik gave an honest gasp, breath shuddering on the way out. Link flicked his eyes up to catch a glimpse of his face, and he was caught. Sheik was watching him, red eyes hooded and lips glistening from where he'd licked them. If Link hadn't already been painfully hard the sight would have done it instantly, and he groaned, taking his mouth away from skin so he could take a deep breath. Sheik ran his hand up the side of his neck until his fingers tightened in ashy blonde hair. They met halfway, but instead of kissing him like he'd expected, Sheik bent his head sideways and bared his neck, sinking his teeth into taught skin until Link made a noise that was nearly a whimper. He liked being bitten though, and it ended all desire to tease any more.

They kissed, deep and long, slow to build, but they had to break to breath. In the pause Link pushed his hand into Sheik's shorts and pulled him out. His head dropped back on the couch for a moment, then he grabbed Link by the hair at the base of his head again and pressed their mouths together quickly before pushing away and standing. He went for the bedroom.

In the past Link would have been worried by the sudden departure, but now he relished it as a sign of Sheik's excitement, knowing that he was simply too excited to excuse himself. And he was back in an instant. He'd shimmied out of the shorts and ripped his shirt off on the way, so when he came back to Link, naked except for a bottle in his hand and shaggy hair hanging around his shoulders, he couldn't think of anything else in the world he'd want more.

Things escalated quickly after that, and in the aroused haze Link ended up bent over the coffee table, Sheik behind him slowly pumping fingers in and out. Link kept his cheek pressed against the smooth surface and gripped the edge, making noises shamelessly. Sheik had a hand on his back, holding him down so he couldn't move of his own accord, and the angle was too awkward to touch himself. So he was left panting, moaning and constantly on the edge of orgasm. It was made worse by the fact the Sheik had brought him once already with his mouth, he'd dropped down to his knees and gone to work after coming back with the lube. So Link had had to build back up first. But now that he was close everything the man behind him did was just shy of enough. He couldn't quite get off and it was maddening.

But Sheik must have reached his own breaking point, because then he deliberately changed the angle of his fingers, and every move brushed against that bundle of nerves, making Link cry out until he finally burst. It was like everything snapped, and the recoil tightened his body so he lifted off the table, and he couldn't tell if his scream had sound or not. Then he collapsed boneless, and simply let his weight drape across the surface.

When he finally felt back in his body he smiled and hummed. Sheik was rubbing his back in slow circles with one hand, the other brushing up and down his thigh. "You want to try for a third?" he asked after a minute of this.

"Oh god yes," he groaned in response, shifting his shoulder blades to get more comfortable. The things Sheik could do were absolutely addictive, even if he'd be exhausted when it was over.

Sheik hadn't given himself any attention yet so he was all too excited by Link's ready reply. He positioned himself right, and without need for any more prep, began to ease inside. He loved taking it slow after Link orgasmed, the sporadic tightness of his muscles trying to draw him in was bliss. Then his pelvis rested against flushed skin and he sighed, pressing a little deeper for a moment before pulling out just as slowly. Link made a sound somewhere near a growl though. "No slow," he pleaded.

"I like slow," Sheik breathed, pausing at the end of himself just to frustrate Link. When he'd finally earned a frustrated huff he snapped his hips forward, catching him off guard. Link yelped, but the sound faded into a moan when Sheik kept up a steady rhythm. And then all he could do was hold on as the golden blonde let loose, finally taking out his built up need. It wasn't rough, or jarring, but all fluid force. Even water could be powerful, and Sheik was able to reach a movement that barely made any noise when their skin so briefly touched, but managed to leave Link as breathless as if he'd been fucked hard and rough.

Then there was a pause, abrupt and startling. Link half turned around and looked over his shoulder to find Sheik pulled out all the way, holding onto the base of himself, eyes closed and lips parted. After a moment he sighed and opened his eyes, smiling a little when he met Link's gaze. "Almost lost it," he laughed, then went straight back in. He grabbed Link by the hips and hitched him up a little higher, changing the angle so he could more easily hit prostate, and went back to his same pace.

Link had a moment to be amazed at how Sheik could move, its was like some kind of private dance that only he'd get to see. Or at least feel. But with the new angle the familiar weight of relief was already building again and it was all he could focus on. Then Sheik added in a new movement, grinding in a small circular move at the end of each thrust, and it was too much.

Link gasped and pushed back as he came, dragging his nails across the wood of the table hard enough to leave light scratches. He pushed Sheik back so his ass was against the couch, forcing him in as deep as he could go in this position. The final move brought Sheik too and he grabbed Link's waist, wrapping and arm around his stomach and leaning forward over his back. And all either of them could do was breath and hold on while they were both blind to the world.

Eventually, when they both cared to move again, Sheik eased himself out and sprawled against the couch next to Link, who'd collapsed on the floor the second he didn't have anything keeping his hips up. The blonde against the couch had started laughing to himself, and Link couldn't help but grin too. He was a little giddy after everything. "What are you laughing at?" he asked.

Sheik lifted his head off the couch, then smiled and shook it. "Nothing funny, I guess, I'm just happy. Amused, yes, but its mostly happy."

"Hm, about what?" he yawned. Link wasn't in the mood to be suspicious, so he sat up and moved to lean against the other's shoulder instead, cuddling as much as his exhausted body would allow.

Sheik arched an eyebrow, then looked away and smiled to himself. He thought for a moment, then simply said, "You said you love me." He glanced back. "When you came."

In the months they'd been dating they'd never actually said that to eachother, so it was somewhat significant, but not unexpected. Link was just surprised about how it came out. "Well...uhm..." He didn't remember saying it really, no matter how hard he tried to remember. He said as much. "It's not untrue though, I do love you."

"I know, the neighbors know too. You were pretty loud about it," Sheik teased. But his face sobered and he smiled fondly. "I love you too."

But then things began to dry and stick, and it ruined the moment. So they shared a shower, where things got a little off track for a while, before burrowing down in bed, wrapped around eachother. Its was still early, but they were content to lie there and just be, and for long stretches they didn't speak, there was no need to. Eventually Link found himself between Sheik's legs, cheek resting on his stomach, listening to him breath and the faint sound of his heart. Sheik was petting the hair away from his face, movements slow and relaxed.

Then his voice came, soft and content. "Would you like to move in with me?"

Link lifted his head and looked up. "What do you mean? I pretty much already live here."

"I know, but at the end of the day you still have to go next door to change or drop your things off." Sheik grinned. "All we'd be doing is cutting out the middle step."

"Hm, very true." He put his head back down on his stomach. "Are you sure you want me to?"

Sheik chuckled. "Link, I think you'd know by now if I didn't want you here. And I wouldn't ask if I didn't want it."

"Also true." He sighed and frowned, rubbing his cheek against Sheik's stomach. "I've just never lived with someone I'm dating."

"Its up to you at this point, just know that I do want you here."

Link pushed himself up then and perched over the other on all fours. "I'd need more than just a dresser drawer for my things you know."

"No shit," Sheik laughed. "I'm not telling you to get rid of anything. We'll figure out how to rearrange everything once you've actually said yes."

Link looked at him for a moment, trying to weigh the options honestly, but the only one that really seemed any good was to move in. Now that the offer was on the table it was all he wanted to do. "I'd love to."

Sheik beamed. "That's great," he said as Link bent down and kissed him. "I only have the one test tomorrow, so I should be done early. How about then?"

Link smiled. "Sounds like a plan."

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Its so fluffy it makes me want to vomit ^-^ Chapter thirteen is almost done, so I'll post that as soon as I get some written on fourteen.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note:** I'm having trouble keeping chapter fourteen rolling, so I'm just gonna post this now, because I have no idea when the next will be done. On another note, my dialogue completely fails here.

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><p><strong><span>~Chapter Thirteen~<span>**

The following day Link stood in his apartment, evaluating his furniture and realizing most of it already had a better counterpart in Sheik's apartment. Not that he minded, it just meant more work getting things out and down to ground level. But it was doable. It was why Dark was there, helping him figure out the best way to get the couch through the door without damaging anything. They'd be taking it down to the second hand shop afterwards.

"What about the window," he suggested after a while. "It looks like it could fit."

Link nodded and went to measure. "It should just barely fit," he said. "About an inch of clearance all around." So they went to work, getting the couch up on the sill and shimmying it out, careful to avoid tossing it over the rail on accident. Then they had to get it over to the lift, which was terrifyingly old and only ever used for moving and injured people. It was old and clunked the whole way down and shuddered unnervingly before coming to a full stop at the bottom, but they made it unharmed and got the couch out. The thrift store was close enough that they figured it'd be easier to walk it down rather than try to strap it on top of a car. It was an odd sight, but the made it and dropped off the couch without a hitch and headed back up to the apartment. Link wanted to get most of the grunt work done before Sheik got home as a surprise, so they still had the bed to get rid of, and a few other large pieces.

"I think that's it for now, the rest I can handle when Sheik's home," Link said later, after most of the large furniture had been taken care of. "You want to come over and hang out for a bit?"

Dark frowned and shuffled like he was uncomfortable. "No, I think I'm just gonna head home."

Link sighed but nodded. It wouldn't do any good to argue, he'd already said everything he could say and it had done no good. Since breaking up with Ganon Dark had stopped socializing. He wasn't snippy, didn't seem depressed, and he went to work every day without a hitch. But he that was it. He refused, casually, every time Link asked him to come over, or if he wanted to do something on their days off. Link could understand, to an extent, but he didn't like to see his brother like this. It just wasn't him, no matter how many people he dumped or was dumped by he bounced back, and quickly. But this time it was like something was broken.

"Okay, but if you change your mind then just come over."

Dark agreed, but left anyway. So Link headed next door by himself and settled down. It would be about a half hour until Sheik was home, so he entertained himself in the mean time.

He looked up from the computer screen when he heard footsteps near the door, then grinned and jumped up when they stopped outside. He opened the door before Sheik could even get his keys out. "Well hello to you too," he chuckled when Link dragged him inside and kissed him.

"How'd the test go?" he asked while the other stripped off his day items, dropping his ascot on the table next to the door.

"Not terribly I hope, wont really know until the grades come out. But I feel like I did alright." He put his arms around Link's neck and looked up at him from the very slight height difference. "How about you, how'd you spend your day."

"Oh, come look," he said, taking his hand and leading him next door. "Dark came over and helped me move all the big things. I wanted to save the rest so we could both decide. I'm not sure about a lot of it. I'm only really attached to my clothing to be honest," he laughed.

In the end Link only wanted his dresser and bookshelf, he stereo, and a few knick knacks. Sheik insisted they keep the table the stereo was on because it would go well by the front door and had more space and a lower shelf for bags. It was all pretty painless and quick, and it was all moved and in place in less than an hour.

"This is weird," Link said, laughing a little when they were done. "I've never lived with anyone other than Dark. Its a good weird though. New."

Sheik smiled at him, grabbing his hand and pressing it to his lips. "I like it," he said simply. Then his phone rang and they both jumped.

He arched his eyebrows when he got it out of his pocket. "Its my mom." He headed for the couch before answering. "Hi mom," he said, waving a little as Link wandered out of the room for his privacy, going to organize his dresser a bit.

"Hi honey. How're you doing?"

"I'm good, busy day, but no complaints. How about you?"

"Oh I'm wonderful. Impa's home from her dig. She just showed up this morning, no warning. We were so shocked."

Sheik perked up at that. "Her dig got over? That's awesome. I'm surprised she didn't call me."

"Oh, I think she wanted to drop in and surprise you too, she left a little while ago to head over there, she should be there soon."

He rolled his eyes at that. "Mom, if she were trying to surprise me, why'd you ruin it?"

She had the decency to sound chastised. "I know, I shouldn't have, but I didn't want her to drop in at a bad time or anything. I know you've been seeing that boy, so I didn't want you to be in the middle of anything too explicit."

He rubbed at his eyes. "Link, mom. I know I've told you his name before. And we're not rabbits, we're not just constantly having sex."

"Don't be crude," she said automatically. The she laughed a little, that soft airy laugh that was unique to his mother. "I was actually only worried because your father and I were, uhm, interrupted. I just thought it would be terrible if she were to catch you in the middle of such a thing too."

Sheik laughed, more than he probably should have because it was his parents, but laugh he did. "Thanks for the heads up mom," he said when he finally caught his breath. "But there's nothing to worry about, we're both fully clothed, not even in the same room in fact."

"Oh good, I worried for nothing," she said.

"Just a little."

"Well I'll let you go, say hi again for us when Impa gets there. Love you honey."

"Love you to mom, talk to you later." He hung up and dropped his phone on the table. Then he called out, "hey, guess what."

Link came back around the corner, folding a t-shirt. "What?"

"Impas home, she's coming to visit."

"Right now?"

"Yep, mom wanted to warn me so we weren't caught in a compromising position."

Link dropped the shirt onto the armchair and plopped down next to him. "That's what the rabbit thing was about then," he said, then his cheeks tinged with a blush. "I was eavsdropping a little."

Sheik smirked. "I figured, but its not like I don't tell you everything already, so its not a big deal. She should be here soon though, I think I'll cook something."

About a half hour later there was a knock on the door and Sheik dashed out of the kitchen, hand towel thrown over one shoulder, to answer it, flinging the door wide. Outside stood a surprisingly tall, lanky woman, with long white hair, red eyes, and sun tanned skin. "Impa!" he exclaimed.

"Wee baby," she exclaimed back, folding him into a hug. She pulled back and put her hands on his shoulder, frowning. "Ah, you're not surprised and you're cooking. Mom warned you."

"Yeah she did, but I was surprised then, so mission at least partially accomplished."

"This is because I caught them having sex, isn't it?"

"Yes it is."

"Damn it, I told her not to," she grumbled, shaking her head and striding inside, where she spotted Link. He'd been standing in the kitchen doorway awkwardly, unsure what to do with his hands. "You must be Link," she said, holding out a hand.

He nodded and smiled while his shook her hand. "Yeah, that's me."

"Well I'd like to say I've heard a lot about you, but mom didn't seem to know one little bit, she even had to ask dad about your name."

Sheik brushed his arm as he went back to the kitchen. "Don't worry too much, she has terrible memory."

"That she does. So what have you made for me," Impa asked as she followed him. She was actually tall enough to see clearly over his shoulder. "Looks like mashed potatoes and... what I'd bet money is glaze for a meat loaf. Awe, bambi, you made my favorite."

"Yeah, I figured you could use a good meal," he said with a smile.

"Indeed I could," she nodded. "Well you keep cooking, I'm going to go interrogate your boyfriend."

Link gave them both wide eyes as he was lead away. "Good luck," Sheik chuckled.

In the living room Impa settled into the armchair and Link sat cross legged on the couch. For a moment she looked at him, eyes narrowed in evaluation, but then she shrugged and grinned. "I guess I'll ask the questions then. How old are you, where you from, and what're you in school for, just to start?"

"Oh, uhm, I'm from Ordon, I'm an undecided major, and I'm nineteen, twenty in February."

"Sheik, you're a cradle robber," she called. "He's twenty-one," she said the Link.

He smiled. "I know."

She smiled back. "So Ordon huh? That's a little bit country. How about your family? Parents, siblings, pets, so on and so forth."

"My parents died when I was really young, no pets, and my brother run the potions shop down the street." He said it all matter-of-factly.

She arched her eyebrows in surprise, but it passed. "Okay. So you're an undecided major. For how long?"

That actually caught Link off guard. "I honestly have no idea. I've only been in school three quarters so I think I have some time to decide though."

"Yeah, you've got some time left. Any prospects though?"

He drew his knees up and rested his elbows on them, biting his lips as he thought. "I've thought about a couple, but nothing that stands out. I'm probably going to just settle in the end."

She shook her head. "Not something you want to do. You really want to be that far in debt for something you settled for? You don't have to answer to me, but its something to consider."

Linked blinked at her a few times then nodded. "Yeah, I suppose you're right."

"Damn straight I'm right. I tried three different majors before finally deciding on archaeology. I figured if I was going to spend so much time doing something then it might as well be something I enjoy."

"What did you try before that?"

She shrugged dismissively. "Politics and law, its kind of a family business. Isn't that right, bambi?" she teased as Sheik came out into the living room with an arm full of plates. He was majoring in political science.

He gave an unashamed smile. "Yeah, its in the blood. I actually like it though so I don't worry too much about following in anyone's footsteps," he said as he passed around steaming plates of food and sat next to Link.

She grunted. "I still think you should have tried harder to get on with the Castle Town Symphony Orchestra. You know they would have jumped at you."

Sheik smiled and looked down at his plate. "Yeah I know. I just wanted to have a degree for future. And I did minor in music, which counts for something. Options are nice."

"True. I'll leave you be about it though, not like I haven't said it before," Impa said with a small laugh.

Sheik agreed and the conversation moved on. They talked until nearly midnight, getting caught up on things they'd missed while Impa had been out of phone range. Her dig had gone well, they'd uncovered a decent sized set of ruins out in the dessert and everyone was being credited. She'd been gone so long that she had to find a new place and was checking out a lease up in Zora's Domain. They made plans to visit when she'd gotten settled. Then they noticed how late it was getting, and Impa still had to drive home and get a decent nights sleep. So they said their goodbyes, a couple nice-meeting-yous, and she was gone, leaving them in the quiet apartment.

"So?" Sheik asked eventually.

Link smiled, secretly happy that Sheik cared that he liked his family. "She's nice. Fun, smart. Seems like a good sister."

"Very," he nodded. "Its been a long day though, you want to sleep?" Link gave a big yawn then and knuckled his eye. "I'll take that as a yes," Sheik smiled, grabbing him by the hand and pulling them both towards the bedroom.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Yay, Impa! Dark is beginning to depress even me though, so I think I'll have to fix that soon...


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:** So I occasionally write these little scenes and I put them in a file titled Outtakes. A while back I was encouraged to share this one (the first one) and figured I'd share the second one as well.

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><p><strong><span>~Outtakes: What Else Are Siblings For~<span>**

_{It has no business anywhere in this story, but its funny. Would have taken place before the break up. Happy Halloween everyone...}_

"I just don't get what you see in him," Link sighed.

Dark smiled wistfully and shrugged. "He makes me feel like a giddy school girl, I don't know how to deal with it," he murmured.

Link gave him a thoughtful look, then laughed and pulled out his phone. He tapped around on the screen for a few moments until eventually turning it for Dark to see. It was a webpage from a costume site, showing a grown man dressed in a mock schoolgirl outfit, skirt and stockings included. Dark covered his eyes and shook his head. "That is not what I meant Link."

"It's not my fault that's what came to mind," the blonde laughed.

"It is entirely your fault. Makes me question what you and Sheik do in the bedroom that you even know about this site."

Link ignored that. "I think I'm buying this for you for Halloween."

"Please don't."

"Too late."

"Oh god why..."

Link giggled evilly. "It'll be here in four to six weeks."

"What is wrong with you?"

"I'm not the one who'll be wearing it."

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><p><strong><span>~Outtakes: Photog~<span>**

_{Back in chapter eight I made allusions to Link's amateur phone photography. This is that scene. He apparently pulled out all the stops.}_

"I'm getting a glare from the lamp," Link huffed. He dropped his phone onto Sheik's stomach and leaned forward, stretching out to bump the shade down so it softened the lighting a little. He was sitting on Sheik's waist, buck ass naked, so the move put his bare chest just inches above Sheik's face. All he had to do was lift his head barely off the pillow and stick his tongue out, licking a wet line from sternum to nipple.

Link jumped and sat back, glaring down at that grinning face. "What?" Sheik laughed. "You're naked, sitting on top of a very horny man, who happens to be growing impatient. Can't blame me for doing something."

The blonde on top rolled his eyes but smiled as he went back to his phone, reopening the camera application, ignoring it when Sheik's hands began wandering upwards in a one sided version of the nervous game. Eventually he made it high enough, fingers trailing up the inside of his thighs until they came to the wonderfully silky skin of Link's sack. He played over it for a moment, giving a satisfied sigh when it tightened and Link began to harden. Then his hands were brushed away. "The more you distract me the longer this takes, and the longer you have to wait" he pointed out.

Sheik sighed and pulled away, stretching back with his arms folded behind his head. "I'll be good," he grumbled.

Link smiled and finally got the settings the way he wanted on the phone camera, then he sighed heavily. "You're sulking."

"You made me quit touching," Sheik pouted.

"Yes, but imagine the things I'll let you do if you just let me get this picture," Link pointed out.

The pout became a smirk. "You have a point."

"Yes I do." Then he tapped the screen and finally got his picture. He smiled triumphantly and handed the phone to Sheik. "See, that wasn't so difficult."

Sheik raised an eyebrow. "Not bad," he conceded, then twisted to set it on the bedside table. Link looked like he wanted to reach for the phone agian, but Sheik stopped him, grabbing his thighs to keep him from leaning for it. "Do it later," he said.

"But wh-" he tried to say.

Then Link was thrown sideways, landing on his back on the mattress, any possibility of an argument cut short by the sight of a golden blonde head settling down between his thighs.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I'm beginning to think there's something wrong with my brain... Anywho, I'm working on the next chapter proper, reviews feed my muse. Without them it starves and dies :[


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note:** Excuse any typos please, I kind of wrote most of this in a flury and haven't checked it over one bit.

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><p><strong><span>~Chapter Fifteen~<span>**

"That is not a cabin. That's a fucking mansion."

Sheik jumped at the sudden outburst, then gave Dark a sheepish smile. "Well, yeah, I guess it kind of is. I just didn't want to say 'hey guys, wanna come to my family's mansion for Christmas'. Cabin sounds better."

"Its beautiful," Link said in awe, staring at the large stone building as they rounded into the valley. "This should be like a museum or something. How do you even have this?"

"It has a historical marker, for the record. And its been in our family for generations. I don't think even my parents could afford it otherwise. There's a story behind it, but you'll have to ask my dad, I don't really remember it so well."

Link nodded but kept staring out the window. The mansion was practically a toadstool in comparison to the landscape. They were surrounded by jagged peaks, murky behind the cloud layer, driving down a narrow bridge that angled around the steep valley, where it stopped right in front of the old stone building. "This whole thing just for seven people?" he asked as he clambered out of the back seat.

Sheik nodded. "Its rented out most of the year, but we always keep the week around Christmas open, even if no ones here. Mom likes having the option."

"How longs it been since you were here?" Dark asked, going to the edge of the circular drive to look down. The bottom of the valley was still a ways bellow, barely visible in the mist. "Damn, can you imagine falling from here?"

"Last time I spent a Christmas here was before I started school, so a good four years," Sheik said as he and Link came over to stand with him at the edge. "Are you afraid of heights?"

Dark gave a jittery laugh. "No, but even that's a bit much," he said, gesturing towards to grey abyss.

"Well then I guess you probably wont want to try snow boarding huh?" came an amused voice behind them.

"Impa, you beat us" Sheik chirped, turning to his sister.

She patted him on the back and eyed the brothers. "You didn't tell me they were fraternal, I was expecting two dirty blondes," she said to Sheik.

"I didn't? Could have sworn I mentioned it."

Impa shook her head. "Nope, and red eyes too. He'll fit right in." She smirked at Dark then turned and dragged Sheik to their car to help carry in bags.

"You're blushing," Link gasped once the others were out of earshot.

Dark gave him wide eyes. "I am not!"

"Liar. You like her."

His flush only darkened at that. "I do not. Its fucking cold out here, I can't help it if I'm red."

Link grinned. "You like her. I'm telling."

"Oh just shut up and help me carry stuff. And don't be spreading rumours that aren't true."

"Dark and Impa sitting in a tr-"

"Oh come on Link, what are you, five?"

Link snickered but kept quiet as they locked up the car and went for the mansion doors. They were left open and voices could be heard echoing from inside. Link tensed at the sound and almost stopped, trying to delay the inevitable, but Dark nudged him. "Come on, it wont be that bad. And worse comes to worse its my car, we can always flee."

Link nodded. "But that would be rude."

Dark agreed. "I'm just saying don't freak out." Then he shoved Link forward through the door, stepping in and closing it behind them. The entry was lined with suits of armor, leading up to an open foyer with two sweeping stair cases to either side. Link and Dark both gaped for a moment. "Like I said, this is definitely not a cabin," Dark murmured.

The blonde gave a small snort of laughter. "No, definitely not." Then they both looked down as Sheik stepped out of the double doors in front of them.

He shimmied out and carefully closed the doors, trying not to draw the attention of whoever was on the other side. "Mom is trying to force feed me. I ran," he explained. "Come on, I'll show you your rooms."

He lead them up the stairs on the right, opening a pair of double doors into a small seating area. Sheik pointed at two of the doors, perpendicular to each other. "Ones Link's, ones Dark's. They're both pretty much the same, except for the view."

Dark immediately dashed for the one directly across from them, leaving Link to the one on the right. "Where's your room?" he asked as he wandered over and peaked inside. It was huge, he could probably fit their entire apartment inside this one room, with one huge window taking up the far side, curtains open to face the large grey expanse of mountain peaks and misty clouds.

"I'm on the other side of the building. Here, I'll show you." Sheik grabbed Link by the hand and dragged him over to Dark's room. His brother was in the middle of mussing the covers on the oversized bed, but he paused long enough to smile at them when they came in, before going back to squirming. Link was lead over to the window, overlooking the mansions central courtyard, and pointed at the circular wall at the back of the complex. "My parents' room is at the top, mom had the old central ballroom converted into their bedroom. I think its a bit extravagant, but that's not my business. Zelda, Impa, and I have the floor below though. It was used as the "kids apartment" when we were growing up, that way we didn't go messing with anything old and breakable in the rest of the house." He looked at Link apologetically. "I would have put you both there, but mom got squeamish at the idea of us sleeping together here."

Link smiled. "No big deal, I understand," he said, then started pulling Sheik closer for a kiss.

Dark barked at them from under the covers though. "None of that in my room, go elsewhere for your PDA's please."

"You know," Sheik began, chuckling,"its more my room than yours really. If you think about it."

"Technically its your parents. But that's not the point, I just don't want to see you two suck face is all."

Link rolled his eyes. "Fine, then we'll do it somewhere else."

"Actually, I wanted to give you both the grand tour," Sheik interrupted.

"Oh, fun," Dark chirped, hopping out of bed and bounding for the door. "Can I play with the canon?" he called over his shoulder.

Link made to go after him, a chastisement already forming, but Sheik grabbed him and pulled him back. Link arched is eyebrows when Sheik wrapped his arms around his neck, then smiled and said "Oh." He returned the gesture, sliding his hands along his lover's waist and pulling their bodies flush together, melting into the kiss as Sheik sealed their mouths together.

It was... surprisingly exhilarating. Their tongues explored like they'd never done this before, Link gasping through his nose when Sheik tugged at the sensitive patch of hair at the base of his neck. He slipped his fingers into the waist band of the smaller blonde's jeans, seeking hungrily for more contact.

Then there was a cough at the door and they broke apart, mostly. Dark was standing there, face carefully neutral aside from one raised brow. "Tour or not?" he asked.

"Oh, right, yeah, of course, sorry," Sheik blushed abashedly and fully pulled away from Link, going out the door to properly lead them.

Dark smiled at him. "No big deal." Then he turned a frown back at his brother. "I mostly just blame Link."

He scoffed. "In my own defense, I was assaulted."

"Oh yeah, you were really fighting him off there." Link rolled his eyes but couldn't really argue, so he kept quiet. "Exactly," Dark said.

That got Link to narrow his eyes, then smile maliciously. "Hey Sheik, guess what?"

He looked over his should from where he was, ten feet ahead leading. "What?"

"Dark has a-" he got out, before he was tackled by a blur of black.

"I told you not to be spreading rumors that aren't true," Dark grunted as the two struggled on the ground.

Sheik stood over the squirming mass of twin for a moment, unsure if he should intervene or not. "You know, this is putting a stopper on the tour, and on cannon time," he pointed out.

"I know," Dark ground out. Then he jerked and yanked his hand away from Link's mouth. "Ew, he licked me."

"S'what you get," the blonde laughed, wiping his mouth and grinning. Dark stood and helped him up, sure to use the hand covered in saliva before wiping it on his pants.

"Do I even want to know what that was about?" They both shook their heads, earning an eye roll. "You know, I'm thinking about sacrificing you both to my family and running away."

"But...but...but cannon," Dark whined.

"You wouldn't really leave me alone with them right?" Link asked warily.

"Hmmaybe," Sheik considered. "Just let me get the tour over at least and we'll see. That goes for the cannon as well," he added to Dark.

He lead them all over the mansion, showing them everything from the smallest study to the kitchen, ending in the center courtyard, where the remaining cannon was kept on display. Dark immediately hopped up on it and started swiveling it around. "It still fires?"

Sheik nodded. "Yep, we keep it pretty well maintained. We have a tradition of lighting it off on Christmas eve. You can fire it then if you want."

Dark pouted but agreed. "I can wait a few days I suppose."

"Yeah, I'm sure you'll survive," Impa said, suddenly appearing, again, behind them.

The brothers both flinched, but Sheik seemed unfazed. "Damn you're sneaky," Dark grumbled.

"I'm a ninja," she deadpanned, then addressed Sheik. "Mom and dad are wondering where you all are. They almost sent Zelda, but I came to the rescue instead. Dinners almost ready."

"Yeah, I smelled it when we went through the kitchen. I made it a point to avoid them though. They're still in the living room?" She nodded. "Okay then, lets get this over with then," he sighed.

"You really hate your parents that much?" Dark questioned as they trudged through the snow to get back inside.

"I love my parents," Sheik said simply. "They can just be critical is all." Impa nodded in agreement.

Dark hummed, but Link only got more worried. He didn't say anything though as they were lead inextricably closer towards what he was certain would be his doom. Or at the very least a very uncomfortable problem. "What if they don't like me?"

"Fuck 'em," Impa said before anyone could even think about it. "I mean, I'm sure they'll like you, you're a good kid, but if they don't then its their problem."

"Exactly," Dark agreed.

Sheik hummed to himself and frowned, so Link reached out and took his hand. "What's up?"

"I was just thinking. I love my family, but for the past few years its become pretty clear that there's a rift here. If they genuinely don't like you, then I don't know if its something that can be reconciled. I really hope they do like you, and I can't imagine they wont, but if they have a problem with you then they have a problem with me. Its about time they put some effort into patching things up. This is a good place for them to start."

Link gave him wide eyes, but they'd made it to their destination, just outside the living room. They could hear the quiet murmur of conversation going on inside and Link's stomach churned as Impa opened the door. Dark and she went first, the following silence making his nerves worse. But Sheik was holding his hand, anchoring him, and smiling reassuringly, so he took a deep breath and let himself be pulled into the room.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Okay, its kind of unsatisfyingly short, I know, but I decided to end it on a cliff hanger point, because it'll be easier to start back up from there. I'm going to be honest and let you all know that I won't be posting at all in November because I'm doing NaNoWriMo, so I'll be preoccupied. On that note, I figure its a good point to commemorate the one year mark since starting this. I began it last year as my attempt for NaNo and it didn't work out. But I still like it enough to keep it going, so happy almost one year. So I anticipate another update will come sometime in mid December. In fact, you know what, I'll guarantee it. There will be another chapter posted on the 16th of December. There, I've committed. Reviews definitely help though, if you get my blatent hinting. Anyway, I'm rambling.


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note:** Okay, so Sheik's parents get a more proper introduction. They're OC's, because I couldn't think of anyone in the series who would fit the descriptions I've already lined out. But oh well. Names are entirely chosen at random.

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><p><strong><span>~Chapter Sixteen~<span>**

Link sat with his hands folded in his lap, staring intently at the polished table top. Dark was on his left, Sheik on his right; Zelda and their father, Lyel, sat on the opposite side of the oval. Their mother, Gemina, had been setting the table when the four had walked in, and Impa helped her bring out the food, insisting that introductions wait until they were all seated. So everyone sat, quiet, some fiddling with utensils, until the two women finally set the last of the food on the table and took their seats.

The silence stretched, awkwardness increasing with each second, until finally Impa sat forward and laced her hands on the table and said, with as straight a face as possible, "I'm sure you're all wondering why I've gathered you here."

Another heart beat passed, then Dark snorted and started laughing. Link gave him wide eyes, Sheik smiled wryly, and Gemina wore a tiny smirk. Zelda and their father had blank expressions though. "Oh come on, lighten up," Impa laughed. "This isn't exactly a solemn occasion. Now, someone pass the wine, and start making small talk."

Lyel took the bottle and poured himself some before passing it down. "Alway the comedian," he sighed, but he was smiling now, and it seemed the mood had lifted somewhat. Zelda's expression was still plain, but she seemed to take the cue from her father and relaxed a little. "So, Link and Dark," Lyel continued, "I've heard quite a bit about both of you."

Link nodded as Dark passed him the bottle. "All good things I hope, sir," he said, taking a small sip of the red, earning a roll of the eyes from his brother.

"Nothing terribly incriminating. And you're both welcome to call me Lyel. No need for sirs."

"Oh, and call me Gem," their mother said as she started dishing up food and passing trays around. There was more silence as everyone piled foods on their plates, thankfully less stilted this time.

Everyone started digging in, happy for an excuse not to talk, but it seems that down at their end of the table Gem and Lyel were having a silent conversation based on expressions and small gestures. Eventually Impa leaned back behind Dark and murmured to Link, "I think they're having a hard time figuring out how to navigate. 'Meeting your child's same sex partner' isn't exactly covered in your average parenting book."

"I heard that," Lyel said. "It really isn't though.

Gemina was rolling her eyes a little though. "Its not any different than if Zelda or Impa brought someone home."

Lyel gave her a long look, then turned to Link with a slightly amused expression. "What are your intentions with my son."

"Dad," Sheik sighed, interrupting and sparing Link his dying fish expression. "What kind of answer are you even looking for with a question like that?"

"An honest one, if possible."

"Is that really what you'd ask if Zelda or I brought someone home?" Impa questioned.

"It'd be a good start. If any of you are serious enough about a person to have them meet your mother and I, then I would hope they'd have given some thought to it already. If they haven't then its simply a waste of everyone's time."

"Wasting your time because he doesn't have every detail of our lives thought out? That's ridiculous," Sheik scoffed, staring at his father challengingly.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it. Have you not given your future any thought?" he said, staring back.

"You know I have."

Link cleared his throat then, trying to put a stop the argument, and everyone looked at him. He started to speak, then frowned and thought a little for the right words. When he spoke the words came slowly, nervously at first. "I have thought about it. Quite a bit, actually. I don't know about marriage, or children, yet, we haven't really talked about it, and I think that's sort of jumping the gun right now. But everything I can think about doing with my life, even the really dumb impossible things that'll never happen, I know I want Sheik to be there. And I want to be there for him. He's become my family, and all I know is I want it to stay that way."

Sheik stared at him the entire time Link spoke, and when he was done he looked down at his hands with a soft smile. Then he looked up at his parents with an expectant arch of a brow. "Good enough?"

Gem beamed and nodded, then looked to her husband. Lyel was watching Link contemplatively, then nodded his head once in assent as he grabbed his wine. "It'll do," he murmured against the rim.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Gah, short, and so unhappy with it. And I have no idea what to do about Zelda.


End file.
